


Dragonfly

by flutterpen, thedragonfly



Series: Dragonfly [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-26
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-10 12:00:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2024313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flutterpen/pseuds/flutterpen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedragonfly/pseuds/thedragonfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dragonfly is my first Transformers OC. I've hesitated for a long while about putting her origin story up. She ends up paired or bonded with Optimus Prime. This is actually a re-written story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I commissioned an artist on deviant art to draw my OC, you can see what she looks like as an adult here. The commissioned artist is linked. http://naisenu.deviantart.com/art/Dragonfly-OC-460867774
> 
> Ratchet and Wheeljack are spark twins here, not bondmates.

A reddish-orange and white boxy vehicle hovered down the main highway surrounded by a sea of other hover-vehicles. Sensor networks were aligned to the Communications Grid, while another part of his processor worked to filter the constant flow of data from his twin. 

“Now entering Kaon outer metropolitan limits,” the warning flashed over his HUD, which he read and then dismissed. He turned his sensors to the city, seeing it with his own optic sensors for the first time. A dismal smoke seemed to hang above the city, permeating the buildings, the streets, and the bots themselves. It was nothing like the bright, gleaming city of Iacon that he and his twin called home.

The smoke above the city was thicker than usual as the mech drove through Kaon, into the heart of the metropolis. Kaon was the planet's industrial and mining city. It was also home to the poorest bots on the planet. Mechs born here were lucky to live past their third decavorn, while the femmes were lucky to make it past their second decavorn. The mech vented a sigh in his alt-mode. He hadn’t even dropped off the supplies or started his shift at the unfamiliar medical centre and he was already longing to go back home. 

Ratchet was almost at the Kaonian medical centre, processor partially-devoted already to the task ahead of him. An industrial building at exploded in the city recently, causing a great number of injuries. The medical centre was swamped and had requested aid in the form of other medics and supplies.

He swerved quickly, barely avoiding hitting the femme that had staggered into his path. Then a larger mech ran in front of him, chasing the femme.

The femme was already leaking energon from multiple slash wounds running across her abdominal plating.

“And don't come back you filthy excuse for a two-bit pleasure bot,” the mech cursed, as he stabbed the femme through her chest aiming straight for her main energon pump. Satisfied that the femme would offline from her wounds, the mech transformed and drove off.

Ratchet transformed and quickly ran over examining the femme. She was pretty badly off. But he quickly picked her up and headed for the emergency center. 

“I have the supplies you asked for and I also found a patient for you,” he said.

“Just what we don’t need,” one medic grumbled. “Another patient. Alright put her down on that berth there.”

Ratchet put the femme down on the berth. ‘She’s already gone,’ Ratchet thought seeing the femme that had been brought in. He hated when it was too late to help someone part of the reason why he had become a medic.Quickly the medics went to work some trying to save the femme with infusions of energon.

“I’m getting a double spark beat here,” the first medic said, “Equipment must be busted again.” He hit the scanner firmly, trying to make it work. “I’m still getting the echo,” he frowned.

Ratchet looked down at the femme on the berth, quickly reassessing her condition. She was so thin, no doubt malnourished and hadn’t had a decent ration of energon in a decacycle, yet she looked a little more than thin. He ran a scan of her. “Could it be a sparkling?” he asked.

The femme’s armor was losing color quickly, as her spark was failing and she was already half-way to the Well.

“If she is, looking at her, it couldn’t be past first or second stage. No way it could survive,” the first medic shook his helm.

Ratchet, on instinct, transformed his hand into a scalpel and went to cutting off the armor to get to the sparkling. He wasn’t about to lose this life as well. With the other hand he peeled back the armor, opening up to get at the sparkling. Finally he got to the protoform, cutting open the gestational chamber, cutting the energon lines to the sparkling. He smiled carefully lifting her out.

“So small,” one medic said, looking at the sparkling Ratchet had pulled out. “How far along do you think it is?”

Ratchet set the protoform down on its carrier’s chest, while he ran another scan on it. “Based on the development, I’d say early in the third stage. But...” he paused while he determined the gender, “She’s physically underdeveloped. All the energon the carrier had was going to the sparkling.”

“Too small,” one said. “Lack of energon, get the femmeling an energon line going, medical grade. She’s still so small and weak.”

The tiny sparkling let out a wail, larger than it should have been able to produce, given its size. It had just been taken from the lifegiving chamber of its carrier and now was being poked and prodded for what reason, was beyond it. It listened to the sounds coming all around it, trying to hear the familiar sparkbeat of its carrier.

Ratchet looked down at the sparkling and the graying frame of the carrier as she was slipped away into the Well. He knew full well that this tiny sparkling barely stood a chance outside of the medical centre. Once she was strong enough, she would be given up to the local adoption agency. The sire was clearly not interested in raising his creation, he’d seen that with his own optics as the carrier had been slashed and stabbed before his very optics. And despite whatever her frame type would be, she would always be slightly on the small side for a femme.

Ratchet stared down at the little prototype a small smile growing on his face. For some reason she just really truly touched his spark. He carefully picked the tiny sparkling off the cold frame of its carrier, being sure to not disturb the energon line they had just set up. He cradled the sparkling to his chest, the rest of the medbay seemed to disappear around him.

The sparkling cuddled in close to the warm frame with a comforting sparkbeat. Her tiny servo came out of her mouthplates as she allowed her helm to rest against Ratchet's chestplates just above his spark.

One of the medics came up behind Ratchet, pushing a medical bassinette. He transferred the medical energon line to the pole and setting the charging and heating mat to the correct settings. Finally he looked at Ratchet, and realized he didn’t even know the medic’s designation, “Uhm, sir... the bassinette is ready for the sparkling now,” he said.

“It’s Ratchet,” he said carefully moving the sparkling to the bassinette. “Any idea which adoption center they will send her to?” 

Big blue optics looked back up at Ratchet, as the sparkling was put down in the bassinette. The sparkling decided that it didn’t like the new bassinette and began to whimper. The whimpering became more insistent and morphed into a full-fledged static-filled wail. She wriggled under the wrappings that she had been placed in, but it was futile, she was too small and too weak to even get her servos free.

“The local Kaonian adoption facility. They usually come by weekly to assess the sparklings that have been given up by their creators,” the medic replied casually.

“Thank you,” Ratchet said watching her and turning down his audio receptors. He was unsure about it, but part of him wanted to adopt her. He smiled at the little sparkling. “You’re alright,” he told her and turned back to the medic.

The sparkling's optics followed Ratchet as well as she was able to until he was outside of her range of vision.

The medic handed Ratchet a small data stamp, “Look, here's her ID while she’s in the facility. You seem a nice enough mech. If you want to adopt her just get the femme at the front desk to keep you informed when she’s ready to go to the adoption agency.”

“Right,” Ratchet said with a smile, memorizing the number on the data stamp. He made a point to go talk to the clerk about that right away but after he delivered the supplies.


	2. Chapter 2

“I would like to adopt the sparkling,” Ratchet said to the femme in charge of adoptions.

“Bondmate?” the femme asked looking up at him from her desk.

Ratchet faltered, thinking. _::Give her my name,::_ came the faint, but unmistakable, voice of his twin over their bond. _::We’ll raise her together.::_

“Wheeljack,” Ratchet finally said.

“We like to make sure the sparklings have a full family,” she said “We like to make sure they have someone to act as a carrier another to act as sire.”

“I can uh understand,” Ratchet said smiling. _::Thank you, Wheeljack,::_ he told his twin.

“You do understand that it will be another two or three quartexes until she can even be released from the medical centre?” the clerk said, eyeing Ratchet.

“I was hoping I could transport her back with me to the Iaconian medical centre where I work,” Ratchet said.

“I’ll have to see what I can do, Ratchet,” the clerk said as she looked at his access card. “Normally, we don’t let preterm sparklings leave the facility until they are at least caught up in size. I’ll have to take this up with her care team. And we will get back to you on it later this cycle.”

“I understand,” Ratchet said. He went to visit the sparkling in the nursery. He smiled watching as she slept. _::You should see her Jack,::_ he said and sent his twin an image of the sleeping sparkling. _::She’s so small for her age, energon deprivation.::_

Wheeljack grinned like a fool in the house he shared with Ratchet, _::Oh Ratchet, so young and tiny and she’s already captured your spark entirely.::_ He chuckled, feeling Ratchet’s love for the sparkling.

 _::Good thing, I’m not home or I would throw a wrench at you for that,::_ Ratchet said. _::But perhaps you are right.::_

 _::Oh and our neighbors had their sparkling a quartex ago, while visiting family outside the city. Big mechling, named him Orion Pax, I believe. Cute guy,::_ Wheeljack sent him the image of their neighbor’s mechling.  
Ratchet smiled and chuckled. _::Seems we’ve caught the sparkling bug, Jack,::_ he said. _::All it takes is for a bot to see a sparkling and then it bites.::_

The morning of the next cycle, Ratchet was woken in his guest quarters with his HUD blinking that he had a new message waiting for him. Ratchet stretched commanding for the message to play.

> Ratchet, your request has been granted to transfer sparkling #423006 to the Iaconian medical centre. We have forwarded her case file and medical files to the hospital and adoption agency there. Pending an interview with your partner, the sparkling will be transferred permanently to your care.

Ratchet smiled and vented a sigh. Finally he and Wheeljack could possibly adopt the sparkling. He drank his energon and headed for the medical center to pick her up to take to the medical center in Iacon. _::So Jack they want to interview you,::_ he said. _::Do you think you are ready?::_

 _::I will be, Ratch. Though I do want to meet her and hold her first,::_ Wheeljack said, smiling. _::I’ll meet you at the Iacon medical centre if you can tell me when you’re approaching it.::_

 _::Right,::_ Ratchet said as he transformed and walked into the Kaon medical center. “I’m here to pick up sparkling 423006 and take her to the Iacon medical center.”

“If you'll head up to the nursery, Ratchet,” the clerk said, “Her physician will meet you there and get her loaded into your alt-mode after you sign the release papers. I suggest that you have someone on hand to help unload her at the Iacon medical centre as she is still hooked up to some equipment.”

“I will let them know when I get closer to the center with her,” Ratchet said and headed up to the nursery to meet with her physician and sign the papers. He smiled feeling his spark skipping pulses.

The sparkling was already awake and looking around the nursery through the clear walls of her bassinette.

Ratchet looked in on the nursery window, smiling to see the sparkling already awake. “Hello, sparkling,” he said waving at her.

The physician overseeing the nursery was a large mech who looked like he could have been in the underground gladatorial matches himself. He walked up behind Ratchet, stopping with his hands on his hips, looking at the small sparkling too. When he spoke however, the quality of his vocalizer was soft and mild-spoken, an odd contrast to his physical appearance,. “Honestly, I’m glad you’re adopting her. A femme like her doesn’t stand a chance in this city. I’ve put in my strong recommendation for you in her adoption notes. You’ve proven your mettle when you brought her carrier in yourself and from what I hear you were the one who figured out that she was with sparkling.”

Ratchet turned hearing the voice and smiled to himself mentally. A large mech in charge of the Kaonian nursery seemed a good idea, he would be protective of the sparklings. “Thank you,” he said. “She just sort of touched my spark when I saw her and after losing her carrier I would love to see her do so much better. I hate losing any patients.”

“We could use a physician of your skill and caliber here. I don’t suppose we could convince you to work here, could we?” the physician looked down at Ratchet with a smile on his face.

Ratchet smiled and shook his head. “I’m flattered but I have too many friends and family in Iacon to think of working here. Though I might come back to help once in awhile.”

“It was worth a try,” the physician smiled. He pulled a data pad out of his subspace pocket and handed it to Ratchet to read over and sign.

Ratchet read over the pad, nodded his helm and signed. “I’m not about to try that with you,” he said. “I think you’re in just the right place here.”

The physician led the way into the nursery, walking over to the sparkling’s bassinette. “She’s no longer on the charging mat or the energon line. We’ve started giving her bottles now; of course, she’s not strong enough to hold them herself. We were just about to give her her morning bottle when you arrived...”

“Can I hold it for her?” Ratchet asked smiling.

“Of course you can. The bottle is right there beside her bassinette. Feel free to hold her as well,” the physician replied. “The more physical contact she gets, the faster she grows.”

Ratchet walked in picking up a bottle of the energon, then went over to pick up the sparkling, holding her as he offered the bottle to her. “Here you go, my dear,” he said.

The young femme sparkling waved her arms in the air, excited to see the bottle of energon and a familiar face. She opened her mouth wide to receive the offered bottle.

Ratchet smiled putting the bottle in her tiny but big mouth. “Yes you know what this is,” he said. “And you remember me.”

The sparkling hungrily drank down the energon, her optics fixed on Ratchet. As she drank she made little gulping noises as she was drinking so quickly.

The physician came up behind Ratchet again, looking down at them. “You're going to make a fine creator, Ratchet. And since she lost both of her natural creators, you and your bondmate will have the opportunity to create parental bonds with her.”

Ratchet smiled thinking about Wheeljack and sent his twin an image of the sparkling again. “Yes it is sad but it’s also good,” he said. “Our neighbors just had a sparkling of their own, a mechling and he was showing me an image of the little mech earlier.”

“She will have a playmate then? That’s good. If you want to establish a bond with this one, I’d recommend you and your bondmate keep your chestplates open while you are at home. The closer she can get to your spark and hear it - without an actual sparkmerge - the faster she will bond to the both of you,” the physician said.

“Right,” Ratchet said smiling and looking down at the sparkling. The sparkling finished off the entire bottle of energon and pawed at it awkwardly with clenched servos. “My weren’t we hungry.” He smiled at her removing the now empty bottle.

“Yeah, she’s been making up for the energon depletion while she was in her carrier. Drinks each bottle like it’s the last one she’ll ever get,” the physician said with a hint of a chuckle in his voice. “When you’re ready, I’ll help you down to the street and get her settled and secured into your alt-mode. I’d recommend disabling all of your internal controls,” he said, smiling, “She’s small, but curious.”

“I suppose now,” Ratchet said a little sad but thoughtful. He slowly and carefully put her back in the bassinette.

The physician reached down into the bassinette, picking up the sparkling. “It is a fortunate day for you, little one. You get to leave here with one of your new creators.” He cradled her carefully in one hand; a striking homage to just how big, yet gentle this physician truly was. He led the way out of the nursery and into the hallway, carrying her.

Ratchet followed the physician, amazed at how he cared for the sparklings, carrying a little one in just one hand, he was so gentle with them. They arrived at the exit, Ratchet transformed into his alt mode and deactivated all the controls so he could drive without the sparkling doing something. “Alright, controls deactivated,” he said.

The physician carefully placed the sparkling inside Ratchet, securing her down so she would be safe on her trip. “Alright, I’ve secured her inside of you and there’s two extra bottles of energon in here too. Have a safe trip and take care of her and yourselves,” he said, ducking his head out of Ratchet’s interior and standing upright.

“Thank you,” Ratchet said. “I’m sure we’ll have a good trip. Won’t we Sparkling?” Ratchet said closing the door and locking it. And he drove off back towards Iacon and Wheeljack.

The sparkling clicked and cooed in her basic language, lying inside Ratchet’s alt-mode. Eventually however, the hum of Ratchet’s engine put her into a light recharge.

Soon they reached Iacon and neared the medical center. _::Wheeljack, I’m getting near the medical center,::_ he told his twin.

 _::I’ll be there shortly, Ratchet,::_ Wheeljack replied, walking out of their home and to the street where he transformed to his alt-mode and took off down the streets, navigating his way to the city centre where his brother worked.

“We’re almost there little one,” Ratchet said. “Then you’ll get to meet Wheeljack, my spark twin.” The sparkling awoke at hearing Ratchet's voice. She squirmed and clicked in frustration, finding herself restrained. “It’s alright, calm down.” He stopped as they arrived at the medical center, he sent a comm to the medical center saying that he and the sparkling had arrived.

Wheeljack was standing there, watching his brother pull up. “Hey there, Ratchet,” he said, waiting for his brother to open his door.

Ratchet unlocked and opened his door. “Hello Jack. She’s just inside if you can take her out,” he said “Sparkling this is going to be your ….sire.”

Wheeljack bent his helm to duck it inside Ratchet’s alt-mode, “Why hello there gorgeous,” he said, as he smiled down at the small sparkling. “Wow, you really are tiny,” he vented softly in amazement, as he unclasped the restraints. Finally he lifted the sparkling out of Ratchet, and grabbed the two bottles of energon that the physician left.

Ratchet closed the doors and transformed getting a look at Wheeljack and the sparkling together, he smiled. “She’s small from energon deprivation,” he said. “But I fed her a whole bottle before we left.”

The sparkling cooed and warbled at Wheeljack as she examined him, her small servos flailing about as Wheeljack wasn't cradling her to him yet, but rather holding her a short distance away from himself to examine her.

“Jack, hold her close to you so she can hear your spark beat,” Ratchet said frowning at his brother. “Like this,” he demonstrated holding his arms close to him. _::The physician at the medical center in Kaon suggested leaving our chestplates open at home for her. No spark merging but letting her get close to see and hear our sparks.::_

“Right, right, sorry...” Wheeljack said, smiling sheepishly. He held the sparkling close to his chest, where she laid her helm down against him. “I haven’t held many sparklings, y’know? And I just wanted to see her.”

“It’s okay, Jack,” Ratchet said. “You’ll get used to it.” He smiled watching the two of them together. “You make a cute picture.” He saved the image for later on.

“Do you have any idea when we'll be able to take her home, Ratch?” Wheeljack asked. He could feel his spark pulsing harder just holding the little sparkling, and he wanted to take her home rather than back into the medical centre. He bent his helm to kiss the top of her helm, letting the kiss linger.

“Another two or three quartexes,” Ratchet said. “I know how you feel, I showed them my id to get her transferred here until she’s bigger and healthier. But we should get her inside as much as you are enjoying her out here.”

Wheeljack walked reluctantly into the entrance of the medical centre, _::Not that I disapprove, but why her? There must be thousands of adoptables in Kaon,::_ he asked, while cuddling her close to him, being mindful of how fragile she still was.

 _::She just touched my spark, Jack. I saw her carrier attacked by what was probably her sire as I was approaching the medical center. She died and I don’t think he cares for a sparkling.::_ Ratchet said.

Ratchet led them through the hospital up to the nursery, where he presented his ID and the sparkling's identification number from the Kaon hospital.

“Ah, yes, we've been expecting you, Ratchet,” said the slight, older physician in charge of the Iaconian nursery. “We already have her medical records and a bassinette is set up for her.”

“Good,” Ratchet said smiling. He looked over at Wheeljack and vented a sigh. “Let’s go, Jack and put her in the basinette, we can still visit her here until they release her.”

Wheeljack nodded his helm and followed the physician and his brother to the bassinette set up for her. He carefully put her down on the little bed, but hovered over her, not ready to remove his hands from her yet.

 _::So you’re getting as attached to her as I am, Jack,::_ Ratchet teased his twin. _::I understand how hard it is.::_

 _::These might be the longest quartexes of my existence,::_ Wheeljack said, a little sadly as he set down the bottles he had taken from Ratchet earlier.

 _::I do know how you feel, Jacky,::_ Ratchet said patting his twin on the back. “We can still visit her here until she gets bigger and healthier.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cuteness ahoy!

Wheeljack slipped out of the engineering building in the science district of Iacon. He walked down to the street and transformed to his alt-mode. He wasn't paying attention and nearly got clipped by a large industrial moving mech as he pulled into the street.

“Watch it!” the industrial mech yelled, as he swerved to avoid hitting Wheeljack and kept going.

 _::Are you alright, Jack?::_ Ratchet asked looking up from the status report on the mech he was checking on.

 _::Yeah. Just distracted is all...::_ Wheeljack said, focussing on the traffic this time as he pulled into it. ::Heading over to see you and sparky.::

Ratchet chuckled hearing his twin’s name for the sparkling. _::Perhaps we should think of a name for her other than sparky or sparkling?::_ he said.

 _::Maybe. It’s just a little hard to do yet. She hasn’t had time to show us her full personality yet,::_ Wheeljack replied with some thought as he approached the back of the medical centre and transformed. _::I’m at the medical centre now, going to go up and see her.::_

 _::I’ll be there in a moment, just checking on my patients,::_ Ratchet said. _::Though you do have a point. So sparky it is for now.::_

Wheeljack walked inside the hospital, staying close to the walls to let gurneys and staff walk past him if they were in a hurry. The sparkling was theirs now; both Wheeljack and Ratchet had passed the adoption evaluations. Now they just had to wait for the hospital to release her into their care. 

Ratchet finished with his rounds and went up to the nursery to see Sparky.

“Hello Ratchet,” the nursery physician greeted him as he walked in. “You've got a pleasant surprise waiting for you when you see your little femme,” she smiled.

Ratchet raised an optic ridge. “I do?” he asked Limber.

“Go on in and see for yourself,” Limber said.

Ratchet shrugged his shoulders and headed on back to go see Sparky. Sparkling was sitting up, a little wobbly, in her bassinette and hanging onto the edge. Finally her colors were starting to show on her first set of light armor plating in rich green, highlighted with blue. She chirred happily to see Ratchet approaching her, a proud expression on her faceplates at what she had accomplished.

Ratchet laughed. “Hello Sparky,” he said walking up to her. “I see you’re sitting up with help now and you’re also showing some colors. I am so proud of you.” He carefully picked her up and hugged her close to his chestplates. Sparkling chirred happily again near Ratchet’s audios as she saw Wheeljack over Ratchet’s shoulders at the entrance to the nursery.

Wheeljack had just been told the same thing from the physician as Ratchet had heard, and he walked quickly over. He leaned over Ratchet’s shoulder, kissing his brother’s cheek. “Hello there, you two. Couldn’t wait for me, I see,” he grinned.

“She was sitting up in the crib on her own, looking so proud,” Ratchet said. “And look, her colors are showing.”

“Sitting up already?” Wheeljack asked, grinning as he walked around Ratchet so that he was standing in front of his brother. “Someone’s determined to grow up so she can come home, I think,” he grinned at his brother. Two tiny little doorwing stubs had popped open on the sparkling’s back, “She has the start of doorwings forming back here too. Let’s take her into the back room and let her cuddle and explore, Ratch.”

“Alright,” Ratchet said smiling and headed for the back room where they could open their chestplates for her.

“Dragonfly,” Wheeljack said out of nowhere, “Her bright colors they remind me of little jewels, like those dragonfly insects the colonists and researchers have reported on other planets.”

“Hmm...” Ratchet said thoughtfully, as he pulled up an image from the central archives to see what Wheeljack was referencing.  
The door to the private family room opened up as Ratchet approached it and he walked inside, Wheeljack close behind him.   
Ratchet went to the large couch and laid down on it in his back, whilst holding on to sparkling and opening his chestplates. His spark glowed brightly from inside, a bright reddish-orange and white like his armor.

Dragonfly chirred and warbled at the sight of the spark belonging to the mech that she was beginning to associate as her carrier. Her own spark beat slowed to match that of Ratchet’s. She attempted to push herself up into a sitting position on Ratchet’s chest, only to fall back onto her own chest. 

Wheeljack had been watching her intently, and when he saw her falling back onto her chest, he vented sharply, afraid for her safety. He moved forward on instincts to try to grab her, but his processor reminded him that Ratchet wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her.

Ratchet quickly glanced at Wheeljack and then back at the sparkling, “It’s okay, Jack,” he said giving his twin a reassuring smile. “Sometimes it takes them a couple of tries, but she’s a determined little one. I like Dragonfly; it suits her. The little gem from Kaon, her little doorwings...”

As Ratchet was talking, Dragonfly managed to push herself to a sitting position on Ratchet’s chest. She chirped happily down at Ratchet. Ratchet chuckled, causing his chest to shake a bit and Dragonfly to work to keep herself upright. “Yes, my love, I see that you sat up on your own. We’re both very proud of you.”

Wheeljack walked over to Ratchet, sitting down on the floor and kissed the sparkling’s helm. “Very good job, Dragonfly. What do you think of that name?” he asked her. Wheeljack opened his chestplates, his green and red spark glowing.

Dragonfly chirred a response at Wheeljack and stretched her arms out to him. Wheeljack picked up Dragonfly under the arms, bringing her to his opened chest. Dragonfly nuzzled up against Wheeljack, turning her helm to the side so she could see what was happening. She slipped a small thumb into her mouth. As her spark pulsed in rhythm to Wheeljack’s; she looked up at him, feeling the strong love coming over the new parental bond.

* * *

A quartex after Ratchet and Wheeljack had brought home their Dragonfly, the neighbors dropped by with their mechling.

“I'm very sorry to drop in on you like this, but family out in the District needs some assistance and Orion would just be in the way there,” the carrier said to them, as she balanced her mechling on her hip.

Ratchet looked over at Wheeljack. “We’ll be glad to watch Orion for you,” he said. “It would give Dragonfly a friend to play with for awhile.”

“Absolutely, we would be happy to watch him,” Wheeljack said, extending his arms to receive the mechling.

The carrier handed Orion to Wheeljack, “Hello there, big guy. You’ve grown since I’ve seen you last.” He bounced the young mechling on his hips, smiling at him.

Orion quietly looked at the older mech, tilting his helm to study him and then looked around at the other mech and the blue green sparkling on the floor. He chirped a greeting.

“He's on the normal sparkling grade energon and he's curious and quiet. Thank you so so much, I really appreciate this. I’ll be back later to get you, Orion,” Orion’s carrier leaned down and kissed the top of Orion's helm and then turned to go meet her bondmate who was waiting on the street in his alt-mode already.

Dragonfly heard Orion chirping from Wheeljack’s arms and she shook her arms enthusiastically.

“Alright, we can put you two down to play,” Ratchet said smiling and carefully put Dragonfly down on the floor, then went to shut the door.

Wheeljack chuckled and put Orion down on the floor in front of Dragonfly. He went to go get some of her toys for the two of them to share.

Orion pushed himself up and walked over to where Dragonfly was sitting, chirping at her.

Dragonfly studied Orion carefully. Outside of other sparklings in bassinettes in the nursery, he was the first sparkling she had seen or played with. She reached forward to touch him. Orion reached out to her in response, touching her hand.

Wheeljack came back with some soft blocks and animals; Cybertronian cars and other vehicles. He set the toys down beside the two sparklings and sat down where he could keep an optic on them both.

Dragonfly picked up one of the soft animals, waving it about in the air. Eventually she dropped it, the toy flying out of her servo and landing in Orion's lap. Orion picked up the animal looking at it, feeling it and then putting part of it in his mouth.

Dragonfly looked about the room, then switched to a crawling position and started moving to the kitchen.

 _::Ratchet, are you in the kitchen?::_ Wheeljack asked his brother.

 _::Yes,::_ Ratchet said. _::Preparing a bottle for Dragonfly.::_

 _::Turn around. I think you have a visitor,::_ Wheeljack smiled.

Ratchet turned around and smiled seeing Dragonfly. “Hello my little Dragonfly,” he said reaching down and picking her up. “Are you hungry?”

Dragonfly chirped a response at Ratchet, reaching for the bottle he was preparing. Ratchet picked up the bottle, putting the nipple in her mouth for her to drink it, while he held it. Then walked back into the living room.

Orion seeing that Dragonfly had a bottle walked over, stuffed animal still in his mouth and reached out for the bottle.

“You want to take her so I can prepare him a bottle?” Ratchet asked his twin.

Dragonfly took a drink of the energon and gave the bottle to Orion, chirping. Orion took the bottle tried putting it in his mouth then took the animal out when he couldn’t sticking the bottle in and hungrily drinking it.

“Well that was nice of you, my dear,” Ratchet said. “I hope he doesn’t mind that it’s a special mix I made just for you.” he leaned down kissing the top of her helm.

Dragonfly watched Orion and tried to suck on the clear end of the energon bottle. 

Wheeljack chuckled and stood up and went to the kitchen to make another bottle. “Try to keep them from fighting, Ratch.”

“Fighting, my Dragonfly is too sweet to get into a fight,” Ratchet replied watching the two sparklings.

Orion seeing Dragonfly sucking on the other end tried to offer the nipple end back to her.  
Ratchet smiled and laughed watching the two of them. Dragonfly took the offered bottle and drank some of the mixture down. 

Wheeljack quickly made one of Ratchet’s mixes for Dragonfly in another bottle. Then he went into the refrigeration unit to get a half-cube of sparkling grade energon. He came back out, screwing the lid onto the bottle. “Awww, isn’t that cute. Kind of like us so long ago.”

“Yeah,” Ratchet said smiling.

Dragonfly laid down on her back, putting her helm in Orion’s lap as she held the bottle for herself. 

Wheeljack gave the other bottle he just prepared to Orion. Orion took the bottle and drank from it. “Now that is a sweet picture,” Ratchet said grinning.

Dragonfly quickly finished off her bottle and let it drop to the side. She looked up at Orion through his bottle, chirping at him, as if to tell him to hurry up. Orion chirped back still working on his bottle.

Dragonfly sat up properly and climbed up on Orion, using his shoulder as she tried to explore him. Orion having his fill dropped the bottle and touched her leg as she explored him. Dragonfly took one of the tiny audio antennae forming on Orion’s helm into her mouth and sucked on it. Orion laughed as her mouth tickled on his antenna. Dragonfly lost her balance, trying to stand up and explore Orion. She slipped down, landing on her back and started to cry.

Ratchet stood up and walked over to pick her up. “It’s okay, Dragonfly,” he said sending her calmness and reassurance down their bond.

Orion frowned feeling sorry for his new playmate and friend.

Dragonfly cuddled into Ratchet’s chest, sucking on a corner of his chestplate. She made small chittering noises as she calmed down and looked back at Orion, pointing to him.

“Shall I put you down and pick him up?” Ratchet asked looking at her as she cuddled on him.

Dragonfly squawked in protest at that idea, shaking her helm. She pointed to Orion again.

“She’s alright now Orion,” Ratchet said giving the small mech a smile.

“I think she wants you to put her down with Orion again, Ratchet,” Wheeljack said to his brother.

“Oh alright,” Ratchet said putting her back down near the mechling. And went to sit back in his chair to watch the two sparklings.

Dragonfly crawled over to a truck and pushed it to Orion, smiling and chirping at him. Orion took the truck pushing it around on the floor, making noises.

Dragonfly frowned when he didn’t push it right back to her, but picked another vehicle and pushed it to Orion. Orion pushed the truck at Dragonfly and took the car driving it around.

Dragonfly tried to copy her friend as she pushed the truck he gave her around. She made raspberry noises making the truck move.

Orion looked at Dragonfly and made a sound like a honk as he drove his car alongside her truck. Dragonfly giggled at Orion, driving her truck into his car. Orion drove his car into her truck in return. Dragonfly giggled harder and let go of the truck, watching Orion. Orion took the truck and offered Dragonfly the car.

The two sparklings continued to play together, Dragonfly eventually laid down on the floor getting tired. She yawned until it looked like her face might split into two.

“Time for your nap,” Ratchet said getting the baby blanket to cover her with. “You want to nap too, Orion?”

Orion who was tired, shook his head, not wanting to nap yet. Dragonfly chirped quietly at Orion, inviting him to nap with her. Orion walked over laying down with Dragonfly finally to nap.

Dragonfly wriggled until she was cuddled up close to Orion. She grabbed his hand, pulling his thumb into her mouth to suck on. Orion smiled at Dragonfly letting her suck on his thumb as he closed his optics and recharged. Dragonfly closed her optics and slipped into recharge with her new friend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My own representation of Elita and later on Alpha Trion here vary widely from "standard" portrayals of them. Fair warning.

Dragonfly and Orion were sitting together at an energon café in Iacon City. Orion reached over taking Dragonfly’s hand and squeezing it.

Dragonfly had ordered a light, sweet energon beverage and was sipping at it while she sat back in her chair, watching the bots in the square. She felt Orion take her hand, and she looked at him smiling and squeezing his hand back.

Orion had taken a strong energon beverage and took a sip of it. He smiled at her feeling her squeeze back and let go.

Dragonfly grinned at Orion, ::You’re sweet, you know that?:: she said to him privately.

Orion grinned at her. ::No, I didn’t know that,:: he teased her. ::But you are.::

Dragonfly reached under the table with a leg, running her pede down the back of his lower leg. 

Orion squirmed a little feeling her pede on his leg and grinned at her. ::Stop that,:: he said privately.

::Are you sure you want me to stop that?:: Dragonfly asked him, grinning.

::No I am not sure,:: Orion said privately, grinning back at her.

Dragonfly ran the tip of her pede against the back of a knee, a spot she knew was sensitive since they learned how to tickle each other.

::Now stop it,:: Orion said as he bit down a laugh.

Dragonfly put her pede back down on the metallic ground, and reached across the table, putting her smaller hand on his. ::All right, I’m sorry, Orion,:: she said, the smile fading a little as she didn’t want him to be angry with her.

::Apology accepted,:: Orion said giving her hand a squeeze and smiling at her.

It was at this point that Elita saw Orion and Dragonfly sitting together and walked over to them. “Hi Orion,” she said, sweetly to him. “Are you going to ask me to the dance?” she asked him. Elita had a crush on Orion since she first laid optics on him, but the pesky Dragonfly was always there too.

“No, Elita,” Orion said trying to keep from rolling his optics at her.

“Why not?” Elita pouted, she wasn’t used to bots saying no to her.

“Because I was going to ask Dragonfly,” Orion replied turning to look at Dragonfly and smiling.

“What do you even see in her, Orion?” Elita asked, “I’m cute, popular, and my creators are well-off. You’d do far better with me than her.”

“You’re annoying, don’t forget Elita,” Orion said. “I’ve known Dragonfly since we were sparklings. We are like best friends.”

“Go about your own business, Elita,” Dragonfly said, “He’s already said no.”

“Don’t talk to me, Dragonfly. Your creators couldn’t stand the thought of having you around and your carrier tried to offline herself instead of birthing you,” Elita snapped, disgusted that a lower-caste femme would talk to her.

Orion stood up glaring at Elita. “Apologize to Dragonfly now, Elita,” he said.

Dragonfly closed her optics for a few seconds and reopened them. “At least my adopted creators taught me manners and how to love someone other than myself.”

Orion smiled at Dragonfly. “Instead of spoiling her, like yours obviously have,” he said and sat back down since it seemed she was not going to apologize.

Dragonfly turned to Orion and took his hand in hers, ::If we ignore her, maybe she’ll leave us.::

::I hope you are right,:: Orion said squeezing her hand. ::So will you go to the dance with me?::

Elita, tired of being ignored, “Well, then I’ll just see if Jazz has anyone yet,” she said, walking off.

::Poor Jazz,:: Dragonfly said to Orion, ::I hope for his sake he has someone already,:: she chuckled.

::Or else he’ll make an excuse,:: Orion said, thinking. He smiled at her ::You were right, you are always right,:: he said and leaned over to kiss her.

Dragonfly chuckled, returning Orion’s kiss. ::Of course, I’ll go to the dance with you, if you go with me.::

::Of course, I will go with you,:: Orion said.

* * *

The large, multifunctional room that served as the youngling school auditorium was darkened and decorated with (something equivalent to a high school dance, but more alien ….).

Orion escorted Dragonfly in, his frame all polished and shining for the occasion.

“You look like you are interviewing for the Elite Guard Academy,” Dragonfly grinned at him, venting excess heat as she took his arm, he looked positively stunning and she was impressed. “Ratchet insisted on using his best polish on me. I thought he was going to strip my paint before he was finished.”

“I wanted to look nice for you, though my carrier was like Ratchet it sounds like,” Orion said leaning down to kiss her.

Dragonfly grabbed Orion’s hand, squeezing it as they walked together. She hoped he couldn’t feel her spark pounding in its chamber, but the way it leapt right now, she was certain he could.

Orion broke off the kiss, looking at her. ::You alright?:: he asked privately.

::Yeah, of course I am. Going to the dance with my best friend who looks amazing,:: Dragonfly replied, grinning.

Dragonfly and Orion walked into the auditorium, looking at how the room had been changed for the dance. Dragonfly turned her audio receptors down slightly for the music was too loud.

The dance was already well underway and due to both Dragonfly and Orion’s carriers wanting their plating to gleam, they were slightly late.

Jazz’ eldest brother was at the front of the auditorium, organizing which songs to play and in what order. Currently he had some of the top songs from Polyhex and Crystal City blaring out loud from the enormous speakers brought in for the occasion.

“I suppose we should go join them,” Orion said and headed for the dance floor to dance, pulling Dragonfly with him.

Dragonfly hesitated, trying to resist him, but he was stronger than her. “Wait, I want to go get some energon first,” she said, making up an excuse to not have to dance to the upbeat song. She was nervous about the other bots making fun of her.

“Alright,” Orion said taking her over to the table with the refreshments.

Elita walked up to the pair, her plating was gleaming and glittering a brighter shade of pink than normal. “Wow Orion, you look great tonight. Dragonfly, can I have one dance with him?” she asked the femme.

Dragonfly looked at the other femme. “I don’t see why not, but maybe you should ask him yourself,” she replied. ::I say go for it Orion. Maybe she won’t ask you again, and we have the slow dances later on,:: she said privately to Orion. Dragonfly turned back to the energon table and grabbed a small cup of the bright pink stuff, it smelled sweet and fruity.

::Alright if she asks me,:: Orion said. ::Then it’s you and me, Dragonfly.::

Elita touched Orion on the shoulder, “What do you say, handsome? You and me, show some moves to this crowd,” she asked him, grinning. 

“Alright, Elita,” Orion said venting a sigh letting her lead him onto the dance floor. “One dance. THen you can find other dance partners.”

Elita hooked her arm around Orion’s arm leading him to the center of the dance floor, where a quick upbeat pop-style song had just begun.

Dragonfly smiled a little, watching them, then walked to a table to sit down in a chair and watch the crowds.

Orion tried his best to keep up with Elita in the fast paced song. Elita took Orion’s hands in hers, leading him in the dance steps. “My creators hired dance tutors for me quartexes ago so I would be ready for the dance,” she said over the music.

“Uh lucky you,” Orion said. “But shouldn’t I be the one leading this dance?” He raised an optic ridge.

Jazz watched Orion and Elita, then spotting Dragonfly sitting at a table. “Can I join you?” he asked.

“It’s one of the new pop ones, either bot can lead. You’re thinking of the slow dances where the mech takes the lead,” Elita said.

“Hey Jazz,” Dragonfly smiled at her friend. “Of course,” she gestured to the chair. “That’s your brother doing the DJ work, isn’t it? Who did you come with tonight?”

“Yeah, that’s him,” Jazz said. “The femme dancing with Orion, unfortunately.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. She asked Orion earlier but he was just about to ask me. She huffed off saying she was going to ask you. We thought you might have found someone else though,” Dragonfly said, sympathetically. “Orion and I figure if we give her a dance with him now, maybe she’ll leave him alone.”

“It’s okay,” Jazz said. “Didn’t find anyone to ask that wasn’t already going but this way I get to see my bro and you two together.”

“Music seems to run in your family line,” Dragonfly said, “What do your carrier and sire do?”

“Sire is a musician, and carrier sings,” Jazz said. “She has a beautiful voice.”

“Well at least on the positive side, Elita seems to know how to dance. You could just pretend she’s someone else you’d rather be at the dance with,” Dragonfly said with a half-smile. 

“Or I could pretend I want to be with her,” Jazz said. “But I know there is someone out there for me. I just haven’t found them yet.”

The song ended and Orion headed off the dance floor to join Dragonfly seeing Jazz with her. “Hey you made it Jazz,” he said smiling at his friend.

“A big whole Cybertron. Your lucky femme or mech is out there for you,” Dragonfly said, putting a hand on Jazz’ hand. “So you survived your dance, Orion?” Dragonfly grinned at her friend.

“Yes,” Orion said and turned to get his own bit of energon then he would join her at the table.

Jazz looked over at Orion, ::I think they’re doing the slow songs next, you should get up there with Dragonfly, Orion. I wanna see you two dancing together,:: he said privately to Orion, half of his visor dimming and brightening in an approximation of a wink.

Orion offered his hand to Dragonfly after putting his glass of energon down. “Ready to dance now?” he asked her.

“Yes, I suppose so,” Dragonfly said, taking his hand and standing up.

Orion lead her onto the dance floor taking her other hand just as a slow dance started up. They started out dancing in the normal position for dancing, but Dragonfly eventually found herself cuddling close to Orion, leaning her helm against his upper chest plates. Her engine purred softly in contentment as they danced.

Orion smiled kissing her cheekplate. This was very nice being so close to her. Dragonfly turned her helm to kiss him back. ::I like you, Orion.... a lot...:: she said privately to him.

::I like you too, Dragonfly.:: He said and then he could feel his faceplates heat up he could feel his spike wanting to get out of his interface panel. He let go of her hands and quickly walked out of the room, embarrassed. Why why did this have to happen now? when it was just getting so nice.

Dragonfly ran quickly after him. As she caught up to him, she touched his back, ::A-are you okay?:: she asked him, her other hand going to his arm.

Orion shook his helm stopping and turning to look at her. ::I...I don’t know,:: he said.

Dragonfly took his hands again and led him to one of the empty hallways of their school. Once there, she hugged him. She could understand that he was embarrassed.

Orion returned the hug, leaning his helm on her shoulder.

::What happened back there? Why’d you run off?:: she asked him, her hands softly rubbing his helm as he leaned against her.

::Uh, my...my spike,:: Orion said. ::I was embarrassed.::

::Ohhhh,:: Dragonfly said, totally understanding now. Then she kissed the top of his helm. ::I’m rather flattered. And uh... I think about you too … butathome.:: she said, the last bit rushed.

::Well I am flattered too,:: He said. ::I guess it was just being so very close.::

“Orion...” Dragonfly said, only her vocalizer was soft and quiet.

“Yes?” Orion replied turning his helm to look at her face better.

Dragonfly giggled a little, before pulling his helm towards her and kissing him..

Orion returned the kiss then broke it looking at her, he lifted his helm off her shoulder. “Do we go back there or what?” he asked unsure and confused.

“I dunno,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “I kinda like it here with just you.” Her young system was filled with a new lust for her best friend.

“Jazz did want to see us dancing together,” Orion said putting a hand on one of her shoulders.

“Yeah well, he’s probably either dancing with ‘Lita or running away from her now,” Dragonfly chuckled.

Orion chuckled at the image of Jazz. “Probably running away from her, though with him who knows. He seems like he could be cool in any situation.” he said.

“We could dance out here too, I can still hear the music if I turn up my audios,” she said to him. “I mean, we don’t want you running out embarrassed again, right?”

“Right,” Orion said smiling at her.

Dragonfly snuggled close to Orion again. Resting her helm again on his shoulder, but facing into his neck.

“Dragonfly,” Orion said turning his helm to look at her as he put his hand on her helm.

“Hmmm... yes?” Dragonfly asked him, looking up at him.

“I am going to stand up so we can dance,” Orion said smiling at her.

“Oh. Alright,” she said, pushing herself away from him so she could stand.

Orion stood up, looking at her and turned his audios up so he could hear the music and offered his hands, though he wondered if he should have just opened his arms. He wouldn’t mind dancing with her close to him again. And smiled at the thought.

Once standing, Dragonfly cuddled back up close to her friend, “Do you mind?” she asked him, optics half-lit in contentment.

“No,” Orion said. “It is nice this way.” He wrapped his arms around her and slowly started to dance.

::If it makes you feel any better, my frame is being disobedient too and I'm leaking lubricant at being so close to you,:: she told him privately, then kissed him along his sensitive neck cables.

Orion froze for a moment as he felt a shiver got up his back hearing that. ::Yes, better,:: he said and turned his head to kiss her.

Dragonfly kept her faceplates buried in his neck, enjoying him so. She followed his lead in the dance, her pedes just following him.

::Hmm so how long do we dance?:: Orion asked looking over at Dragonfly. Part of him wondered how to make her feel how she was making him feel kissing his neck cables he turned his helm to kiss her neck cables.::All night or...?::

::Dunno. Just enjoying this right now, though,:: Dragonfly said.

::Hmm, so however long we can stand and dance, I guess,:: Orion said.

Wheeljack came walking down the hallways, checking up on any straggling bots. He was a little surprised, but not overly, to see Orion and Dragonfly together, kissing and holding each other tightly. He vented a sound alerting the pair to his presence. “Orion, Dragonfly...” he said, just loudly enough for them to hear him over the din of the music coming from down the hallway. “It is good to see that you are both enjoying the dance.”

Orion broke the kiss. “hello Wheeljack,” he said, venting to cool down.

Dragonfly made a face that they were disturbed, by her sire no less, then turned to face Wheeljack. “Hello, sire,” she said. “We just needed a break from the dancing it was hot and stuffy in there.”

Orion smiled at Dragonfly. ::You’re lucky to have such creators, that care about you.:: he said

“Your creators care a lot about you too,” Dragonfly said aloud, for Wheeljack’s sake.

Wheeljack smiled at the two of them, “Alright younglings. I love you both like you were my own creations, and I would love nothing more than to see you become a bonded pair. But... when you’re a bit older.”

Orion mentally rolled his optics. Wheeljack gently slapped Orion on the back of his shoulders for that. “Sorry, sir,” Orion said.

“Alright you two, let’s go back to the auditorium. I think there’s one last song that you can dance to,” Wheeljack said, smiling.

Orion slowly headed off in the direction of the auditorium; Dragonfly grabbed his hand, smiling. ::Well at least it won’t be hard to hear the song,:: she told him privately.

::True,:: Orion said giving her hand a squeeze.

“Jack, don’t tell carrier. He’d freak out, even though we were only kissing,” Dragonfly said, turning her helm to look at her sire.

Orion winced thinking of what Ratchet might do.

Wheeljack chuckled, “No, I won’t tell him. Well maybe not for another 10 vorns or so.”

“Thank you, Wheeljack,” Orion said and led Dragonfly onto the dance floor for the last song.

Dragonfly again cuddled up to Orion for the last song. Orion leaned down kissing her. ::Thank you,:: he told her privately.

::Thank you for what?:: she asked him

::For being my friend,:: he answered.

::Orion Pax?:: Dragonfly said, nuzzling her helm against his.

::Yes, Dragonfly,:: Orion replied.

::I think I’m in love with you, my friend,:: Dragonfly told him.

::And I with you,:: Orion told her back.


	5. Chapter 5

“Do not stop thinking or questioning, Orion. There is great potential in you. Your intuition and insight is at times, quite profound. And there lies within you the potential to be a great leader,” Alpha Trion said, dismissing Orion Pax from his office.

“Thank you, Trion, your words mean a lot to me,” Orion replied, bowing his helm slightly to his elder. 

The older mech watched Orion return to his workstation, thinking. The young archivist was distracted lately in his work.  
With a few quick taps at his console, Trion accessed the video surveillance logs for Orion in public spaces. He noticed a small, young femme walking with his protégé, meeting with Orion everyday. Another few taps on the console and he quickly determined that the femme was Dragonfly, a lower caste laborer. She was originally from Kaon, and adopted by the twin brothers Ratchet and Wheeljack. 

Alpha Trion turned the console offline, thinking how to handle this situation. He was attempting to set Orion up to bond himself to Elita, a femme from a well-to-do family in the upper government castes. Yet, here was Orion, fraternizing with a lower caste femme. 

Alpha Trion brought his console back online, pulling up the employment details for Dragonfly. Near the end of her scheduled work shift, Alpha Trion sent one of his assistants to bring Dragonfly to his office for a talk.   
Dragonfly walked shyly into Alpha Trion’s office. She had never been called to a meeting with such a high ranking person before and it made her nervous. 

Trion sat behind his desk, looking noble and serious with his hands clasped together in front of him. “You are friends with Orion Pax,” it was a statement, not a question. “He is a middle-upper caste worker, with potential to be our civilization’s next Prime. You...” Trion fixed an icy stare on Dragonfly, “Are a lower caste production worker, from the city of Kaon; an orphan adopted and raised by two brothers. Do you expect Orion to lower himself to you? It is intended that he bond with a strong, upper-caste femme like Elita, who will be strong beside him as he leads. You must cease this nonsense that you could possibly be bonded to Orion and let him move forward.”

Dragonfly bowed her helm, trying to remain strong in the presence of the stinging words from Alpha Trion. “I...” she began, wanting to argue her case, “Yes sir, I understand,” she said quietly, but reluctantly.

“That is all. You are dismissed,” Alpha Trion said, turning in his chair to look at reports.

Dragonfly pushed herself up from the chair and left the office, numb. Instead of transforming into her alt-mode and driving home. Dragonfly walked slowly down the street, Alpha Trion’s words echoing in her processor.

She arrived at home to find Orion already waiting outside her home. “You are home later than usual,” Orion noted as he greeted her, bending his helm to give her a kiss. 

Dragonfly turned her helm down and away from him, dropping to her knees at his feet and sitting on her heels. “We... cannot continue our friendship, Orion,” Dragonfly said, the words tearing at her spark.   
“Have I said or done something wrong, Dragonfly?” Orion asked her. He had known her most of his life but he didn’t know what to say or do in this situation.

“It’s the castes...” Dragonfly quietly mumbled, “You need someone stronger at your side to lead...” her fingers tracing the lines in the ground below her.

Orion growled. “The castes is one of the things wrong with our world,” he said. “We have known each other for so long, Dragonfly. We know what the other likes and dislikes. I know you like me and you know I like you, well more than like.” He looked down at her smiling.

“And it is why it breaks my sparks to have to tell you this. It was not my choice, Orion,” Dragonfly said.

“Then whose choice was it, Dragonfly?” Orion asked, frowning. He took her chin in one of his hands. “Look at me, Dragonfly.”

“A-alpha Trion,” Dragonfly stammered, “He had one of his assistants bring me to his office after my shift ended today. He has been watching us in the public districts. I’m not good enough for you, and he wants you to take Elita.”

Orion growled looking up. He looked up to Alpha but he didn’t like what the older mech was doing. Arranging bondmates and watching him in public was close to going too far. Dragonfly reached out and touched Orion’s pede. Orion looked down at her feeling her hand. “I do not know what to do, Dragonfly,” he said. “He should not be watching me, but I also look up to him. What should I do?”

“In a sad way, he has some valid points,” Dragonfly vented a sigh, “What would it look like if you had me by your side when you become Prime? I’m an orphan from Kaon, taken in by two brothers. I’m never going to be regular sized, even for a femme.”

“What would I look like if I didn’t speak up for what I believed in, Dragonfly?” Orion said. “Cybertron is tearing itself apart with this idea of castes, much less restricting the bonding of bots from different castes. I don’t care about your past, you know that. I care...I love you for what you are today.” He leaned down to kiss her helm.

Dragonfly looked up at him, “But you’ll be going against Trion’s wishes. Doesn’t that matter?”

Orion looked away confused. “I don’t know, Dragonfly,” he said. “I am so torn.” He leaned his helm down to touch hers, his optics closed.

Dragonfly stood up slowly, taking Orion’s hand, “Let’s go inside. I assure you neither Ratchet nor Jack would allow surveillance inside.”

Orion nodded his helm, a small smile on his faceplates as he let her lead him inside.

Wheeljack was already at home, sitting in the main living area reading through a data pad with specifications for a project he was involved with at the science centre. He looked up to see both Dragonfly and Orion walking in together, a normal sight in this household where Orion was welcomed in as another son of theirs.

“Hello Wheeljack,” Orion said with a small wave.

“Hello kids,” Wheeljack replied, smiling at the two of them. “There’s some energon snacks in the kitchen, if either of you are hungry.”

Orion looked at Dragonfly. “Thanks, sire,” Dragonfly grinned, and turned to walk into the kitchen. “Did you make these or did carrier?” she called back to Wheeljack.

“Ratchet made them before he had to go to his shift,” Wheeljack called back, “You say that like you don’t trust me to cook or something.”

Hearing that it was Ratchet who had made the energon snacks, Dragonfly picked up a couple and headed down to her room. 

Orion grabbed a few and followed Dragonfly to her room. “Thank you, Wheeljack,” he said quickly. Slipping into her room, he quickly leaned down and kissed her.

Dragonfly returned the kiss and then broke it. She plopped down on her berth, and started to eat one of the energon snacks. In between bites, she spoke, “You better be careful with this...”

“Oh and why is that?” Orion asked and took a bite of one of the snacks, watching her. He thought she was kind of cute talking between bites.

“Because our walls aren’t soundproofed at all, and I don’t know what either of our creators will think,” Dragonfly said, kissing his cheek.

Orion smiled at the kiss. “I have been thinking about getting an apartment closer to work,” he said, grinning at her.

“But you’ll be moving so far away from me...” Dragonfly said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“You could move too,” Orion said, patting her helm with his hand.

“Maybe...” Dragonfly thought, but the thought of leaving a safe home with Wheeljack and Ratchet required more thought still.

Orion slipped an arm around her pulling her close to him. Dragonfly looked into Orion’s faceplates, smiling a little bit, “Despite what Trion might say, I do love you with all my spark, Orion. We’ve known each other since sparklings.”

“Me too, me too,” Orion said.

Dragonfly sat up properly and turned on her berth to face Orion. She held his face in both her hands and kissed him.

Orion happily returned the kiss. Dragonfly found herself creeping closer and closer to Orion until she was about ready to climb into his lap. She hesitated, processor conflicted with the warnings from Trion and wanting Orion.

Orion broke the kiss blinking his optics looking at her. “What are you thinking, dear friend?” he asked.

Dragonfly climbed into his lap, resting her helm on his shoulders. Optic fluid fell down her cheeks and landed on his shoulders, the soft tinking sound masked by quiet sobs.

Orion blinked a little surprised by her climbing into his lap but that was soon outweighed by his concern for his dear friend as he patted her head. “Why are you crying, Dragonfly?” he asked, quietly. Suddenly concerned that Wheeljack might come in hearing her crying.

“It’s just everything Trion said is conflicting at my spark, when I truly love you and want to be with you,” Dragonfly managed between unsteady venting.

Orion looked down at her, tilting his helm, unsure of what to say to make her feel better. He continued patting her helm holding her in his arm. Dragonfly leaned in and kissed Orion on the cheek. 

“Well the moving thing is just something for the both of us to think about if we want to be together and away from our creators,” he said breaking the kiss, then returning it. “We could maybe bond here, quietly.” He said not knowing what he was saying.

Dragonfly smiled, kissing him again and letting a finger tickle his audio antenna. Ever since they started appearing on his frame growing up, Dragonfly loved Orion’s audios. She felt they made him look so very cute.

Orion smiled into the kiss, laughing as she tickled at his audio antenna.

Dragonfly sat back a little and opened her chest panelling, exposing her spark to him. She knew it was against all the rules of their culture to bond, but it was what he was championing for after all.

Orion opened his chest panels to her, smiling that she was doing this for him. “I love you, Dragonfly, so very much,” he whispered to her.

Dragonfly leaned in to kiss him again, “I love you too, Orion,” she said quietly before kissing him. Then she allowed her spark to extend into the gap between their chests.

Orion let his spark out to meet with hers, closing his optics at the bright light.

Dragonfly gasped and leaned closer against Orion. She watched the myriad of shared images and memories fly past at a dizzying pace. She recognized much of what she could see, having grown up so close to him.

Orion blinked watching the memories push past him, recognizing so many people and places from their shared pasts. Only a few unfamiliar faces and place, which he assumed was Kaon and when she was born.

The memories finally stopped swimming around them and Dragonfly met Orion in a blank room. She ran over to greet him, hugging and kissing him.

Orion returned her kisses, wrapping his arms around her. ::My dragonfly,:: he told her. ::I am yours.::

::My big handsome Orion. I think we have been bonded since sparklings,:: she said, kissing him some more. 

Orion laughed into the kiss. ::I agree,:: he told her returning the kiss, licking at her lips.

Dragonfly showed Orion what little she remembered of her past of Kaon, and the pieces Ratchet had shared with her. 

“How lucky I am that Ratchet came upon your carrier,” Orion said holding her close to him as if he would lose her here.

“And that Ratchet thought to look for me after my carrier offlined,” Dragonfly said, resting her helm against his chest.

Orion leaned down kissing her on the top of her helm. “How very different my life would be if you hadn’t come along,” he said quietly and shivered.

Dragonfly held Orion close, rubbing his back. “With all my spark, I love you, Orion Pax.”

“And I love you, Dragonfly,” Orion said enjoying the feel of her massaging his back.

Dragonfly’s HUD flashed low charge, “Orion... low charge,” she said.

“Right, we should go,” Orion said opening his optics to find them both on her bed he fell back, wondering whether he should stay there or go home.

Dragonfly fell against Orion, as she opened her optics, “Sorry, my love,” she said.

“It’s alright,” Orion whispered.

Wheeljack heard the thuds in Dragonfly’s room and walked down to investigate. “Dragonfly, Orion? Are you two alright?” he asked, sticking his head in the door.

“We’re alright, Wheeljack,” Orion said. “We just laughed so hard at something funny, we sort of collapsed.”

“And it was something you needed to have your chestplates open for too?” Wheeljack teased Orion, as he walked in sitting on a corner of the berth. He rested a hand on Orion’s shoulder. “You're like a son to us, Orion.”

Orion looked over at Dragonfly, unsure of whether to tell Wheeljack the truth. Dragonfly grasped Orion’s hand, squeezing it tightly.

Wheeljack chuckled at Orion. “Look, kiddo, I may not be bonded or have had a spark merge. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know what they look like. Or what two younglings in love look like either.” In truth, Wheeljack was somewhat expecting this of these two; they were so close to each other it was just a matter of time.

“Thank you for being so understanding, sir,” Orion said, somehow glad that Wheeljack understood unlike some other mechs and femmes he knew.

“Thank you, sire,” Dragonfly said, sitting up a little and hugged Wheeljack, “Alpha Trion had me brought to his office today; he wants me to stop being friends with Orion so that he will bond with Elita.”

Wheeljack frowned, hearing what Dragonfly had told him. He looked between Dragonfly and Orion. “Have you spoken with Trion about this, Orion?”

“No, not yet,” Orion admitted. “I am still thinking about what to tell him when I see him next.”

Wheeljack was trying to think about what he would tell his twin.

_::Wheeljack, what’s happening over there?::_ Ratchet asked feeling his twin’s concern.

_::Oh just came to Dragonfly’s room having heard some thuds, find them with chestplates open,::_ Wheeljack said.

Ratchet dropped his wrench as he heard what Wheeljack just told him, _::Did they.... they didn’t spark merge did they?::_

_::What do you expect of two young bots in love, Ratchet?::_ Wheeljack said. _::Yes they spark merged.::_

_::Have they been interfacing as well, Wheeljack?::_ Ratchet asked.

_::I don’t think so, but I will ask them,::_ Wheeljack told his twin. “Have you two... interfaced?” Wheeljack looked between Orion and Dragonfly.

“No,” Orion said.

“Sire!” Dragonfly exclaimed, shocked at his asking that. She looked at Orion; it wasn’t as if she hadn’t thought about it though.

_::Orion says they haven’t interfaced, I believe him and Dragonfly was kind of mad at me for asking,::_ he told Ratchet. “Hey you two have bonded, or at least started to. Interfacing is a natural progression along that line,” Wheeljack said, putting his hands in the air. _::What concerns me more, Ratchet, is that Alpha Trion is trying to interfere with their love,::_ Wheeljack said, _::He told Dragonfly that she was to no longer be friends with Orion.::_

Orion just shyly smiled and looked at Dragonfly, not saying anything. Dragonfly leaned over and kissed Orion.

::Does that mean you’re giving us permission to interface, sire?:: Dragonfly asked, using a private comm to both Orion and Wheeljack.

Orion returned and then broke the kiss looking at the both of them.

“I... think … that you two should take it slow...” Wheeljack answered, standing up from the berth.

“We will,” Orion said.

Wheeljack looked at Dragonfly and smiled. “Good, you do that or I think Ratchet might come after you with a wrench,” he said.

Dragonfly looked at Wheeljack and smiled, “I don’t think Ratchet would have the spark to do that to me.”

“Well he would to Orion,” Wheeljack said.

“I won’t let him,” Dragonfly sat up, nearly falling over again weak from the spark merge.

“You can try, Dragonfly,” Wheeljack said. “But...” he shrugged his hands.

“But what?” Dragonfly asked.

“You know how Ratchet is at times, Dragonfly,” Wheeljack said. “If anyone hurt you, be it Orion or someone else, even you might not stop him.”

“I’m lucky to have protective creators,” she smiled. “And even though the thought of interfacing has crossed my processor, we haven’t done anything yet.”

“Well you can recharge here tonight, Orion,” Wheeljack said. “But like I said wait awhile before doing anything more.”

“Tell Ratchet I love him and we’ll be good, okay?” Dragonfly said.

“Thank you, Wheeljack,” Orion said laying back down on the berth.

Dragonfly laid down on the berth, cuddling herself to Orion. She tried to make it so they fit together with no gaps between them.

_::Kiss Dragonfly good night for me, Wheeljack,::_ Ratchet said, pausing for a moment. _::And I guess Orion too. He’s as good as family.::_

“I will,” Wheeljack said and left the room. _::They will both wait on the interfacing, so you can lecture him or whatever, Ratchet. And she says to tell you she loves you.::_

::You are very lucky to have such protective creators,:: Orion told her, wrapping an arm around her.

Wheeljack came back in a grin on his face. “Ratchet asked me to do something,” he said and leaned over giving Dragonfly a kiss, then Orion. “Good night you two.”

::And a protective best friend turned sparkmate,:: Dragonfly said, kissing him good night.

::Good night, Dragonfly,:: Orion replied kissing her back.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to take a bit of a turn from here, along with a slight jump forward in time.

Dragonfly hugged Orion close to herself, looking up into his optics. Already to the public, he had taken up the new name of Optimus Prime, but she still used Orion Pax when they were alone or in the company of friends and family. But he wasn’t a full Prime yet, he still didn’t have the Matrix and that was the quest he was about to embark on.

“Please be safe and take care of yourself,” Dragonfly said, standing on the ends of her pedes to kiss him.

::Thank you, Dragonfly,:: Optimus said, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her. ::I will be thinking of you down there.::

Reluctantly Dragonfly released him from the hug, ::I love you, Orion Pax.::

::And I love you,:: Optimus said stepping away from her.

Dragonfly waited, watching Optimus transform and drive out of sight. Then she turned and went back into the house.

It was a couple of cycles later, with Dragonfly paying close attention to the communications grid at work, that she heard news of Optimus’ success and that he was returning back to the city.

Optimus and the others walked back towards the city, tired and feeling strange. He looked at the city ahead of him. “Home,” he said not smiling but not frowning either.

Dragonfly grinned, listening to the news, and she took her break early as she watched the throngs of Iaconians take to the street to welcome their leader back home. She slipped outside to join them, finding a space near the streets so she could actually see.

Orion and the others walked into the street, looking around them at the cheering crowd.

::Orion!:: Dragonfly called out privately to her best friend and sparkmate, although the bond was still incomplete. She could see that physically, he looked the same, but was obviously tired.

Optimus ignored the incessant buzzing, letting his friends and companions guide him home as his memory was somewhat affected by the events that had happened to them.

Dragonfly didn’t dare reach out and make a public overture to Orion here. They were already under enough scrutiny from Alpha Trion as it was. She turned around and took a shortcut she knew of to Orion’s office and apartment, luckily it was abandoned and she managed to get there before the party arrived.

“Thank you Jetfire, Bumblebee,” Optimus said to his friends. “A recharge and perhaps I’ll feel better in the morning.”

Dragonfly waited and watched the two mechs talking to Orion until they left. “Optimus,” she grinned, using his Prime name as they were in public. She walked up beside him, knowing she had a fairly open invitation to his quarters.

Optimus turned and looked at the femme as he heard his name called. “How did you get in here?” he asked. “And who are you?”

Dragonfly took his hand, putting it to her cheek. “Very funny, Orion,” she smiled.

“Orion?” Optimus asked looking at her and stepping back from her.

“Your pre-Prime name,” Dragonfly chuckled, stepping closer to him, putting her hands to his waist.

Optimus stepped back from her. “Am I supposed to know you?” he asked.

“Your Dragonfly, your sparkmate, best friend,” she said, the smile fading, “We’ve been inseparable since we were sparklings.”

“I am sorry I do not remember you or any of what you say,” Optimus replied.

“Maybe we should get you to the medical centre,” Dragonfly said, taking his hand to guide him to the Iacon Medical Centre, “My carrier works there, Ratchet.”

“And perhaps you need to leave,” Optimus growled. He was getting tired of this incessant femme.

Dragonfly dropped Optimus’ hand and stepped back from him. Never in the time that she had known him had he growled at her. She looked down at the floor for a klik, then chanced a glimpse up at his face, hoping that maybe she had dreamt that. Other than that, she didn’t move from her spot.

He vented a sigh of frustration. ::Security will you please escort a femme from my quarters,:: he called over the public communications channel.

“No need,” Dragonfly said, shaking her helm. “I guess I’ll see myself out. I hope you feel better.” She turned on the spot and headed out of his quarters, stopping at the lift to look back sadly at him; her spark feeling like it was torn in two.

Optimus saw her looking at him, turned to look away, rubbing his helm with a hand and sat down in a chair.

Dragonfly for her part transformed to her alt-mode when she got to the streets. As soon as she was out of the city limits she pushed herself to the speed limit restrictions of her vehicular mode. She transformed in the walkway and walked quickly through the hallways without saying a word to either Ratchet or Wheeljack as she entered her room and shut the door behind her.

Tired from his mission and still not feeling well Optimus recharged in his berth, tossing and turning in flux.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you like Elita, you may not like this chapter. Again Elita and Trion vary vastly from traditional view here.

Having given Optimus time to recharge after his mission to get the Matrix of Leadership, Alpha Trion and Elita went up to his apartment to check on him and talk to him. Alpha pushed the buzzer to ask for entrance.

“Come in,” Optimus said sending the command for the door to open.

“Optimus, my love,” Elita purred, walking into his quarters arms open to give him a hug.

Optimus looked at the two newcomers. “Do I know you?” he asked wondering who they were.

“Optimus...” Elita said softly, “I am your close friend and mate. And this is Alpha Trion, your mentor from the record hall.”

Optimus blinked; two femmes that claimed to be his friends and mates.

“Optimus, the Council and your team will want to meet with you and debrief from the mission. Steps will need to be taken to push back Megatron's forces,” Alpha Trion said.

“I am not yet ready to meet with more bots,” Optimus said. “I am still tired from my journey. And my team can tell you that I am not quite myself after the mission.”

“Do you want me to have a medic sent to your quarters to make sure that you’re okay?” Alpha Trion offered.

“Yes, perhaps that would be good,” Optimus replied.

Elita walked behind Optimus and started to massage his back and shoulders. Optimus jumped a little at the strange touch but didn’t move away, relaxing a little. From behind Optimus, Elita grinned at Alpha Trion.

::Iacon Medical Facility, this is Alpha Trion. Can you have an available medic come to Prime’s quarters for a medical assessment?:: Alpha Trion said over a semi-public channel to the centre. After a few kliks Trion turned his attention back to Elita and Optimus," they will send someone over within an hour,” he said.

“Thank you,” Optimus said.

“Do you want me to wait with you, Optimus?” Elita asked, bending down to kiss his helm

“Uh, yes please,” Optimus replied. “I might be nice to have someone other than the medic here.”

Sometime later the medic arrived, comming for entrance to the building.

Elita walked to the door panel, triggering the unlocking mechanism and allowing the medic to enter.

“You called for a medical assessment,” the medic said entering, already running a visual scan of the planet’s new young leader.

“Yes, for Optimus,” Elita said, leading the medic into the quarters.

The medic followed her further into the room. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked.

“Optimus, would you care to describe your problems for the medic?” Elita said to him.

“I seem to be missing some of my memory,” Optimus said. “I do not recognize a number of mechs and femmes who have approached me saying they know me.”

::Other than Trion and myself, who has been here since your return, my love?:: Elita asked Optimus privately. He hadn't told her about other mechs or femmes visiting.

::A femme by the name of...Dragonfly,:: Orion said recalling it.

Elita thought for a moment before replying, ::And what happened?::

::I asked she leave and she did just before you and Alpha Trion arrived,:: Optimus answered.

::Ah, that annoying little femme. She’s constantly trying to take you from me. She’s a little orphan from the slums of Kaon and the twin brothers adopted her,:: Elita said, with some disgust in her voice.

::She did not seem that bad,:: Optimus said.

The medic ran some scans. “It could be since you have taken on the Matrix of Leadership there are all the memories of the primes,” he said. “I think your memory shall return to you.”

Elita frowned slightly, “We do have some upgrades scheduled for you, Optimus. I think Trion said something about improving your frame structure, since you weren’t intended to be a warrior...” she mused. ::Trion, the medic thinks he will get his memories back with time,:: she told the old mech privately.

::I will have things taken care of during his next scheduled upgrade, Elita,:: Alpha Trion replied.

“That does sound like a good thing,” Optimus said a little overwhelmed by everything as he sank into a chair.

“Perhaps you should get some recharge in your berth, Optimus,” Elita suggested.

“Yes, that sounds like a good idea,” Optimus said pushing himself back up to walk to his berthroom. He turned to look at her. “Perhaps you should stay with me. In a separate berth of course.”

Elita smiled, “Of course, Optimus. I’d be honored,” she said and walked behind him to join him.

Optimus lay down on his berth, closing his optics in the hopes of recharging. Elita came over and kissed Optimus. ::Good night, my love,:: she told him privately. Then broke the kiss and went to lie on the couch opposite his berth.

::Good night,:: Optimus said, a faint smile. He had liked the kiss but part of him wanted something more. He drifted off into recharge but soon he started going into flux remembering the dark and dangerous path down into the well of the AllSpark.

“No,” he cried tossing about in his berth. Settling down again he called for his “Stuffy.”

Over in her own berth, Elita was brought out of her recharge cycle by the sounds of Optimus thrashing about in his berth. She vented a sigh watching him and hoped it would be over soon so she could go back to sleep. She turned off her audio receptors and rolled so she was facing away from his berth and tried to slip into recharge again.


	8. Chapter 8

Alpha Trion watched as Optimus struggled to balance paperwork and dealing with Decepticon skirmishes. The data pads seemed to continue to pile up. He knew Elita was rubbish with any sort of real work, he wondered who he could get to fill a clerk’s position for the young Prime. ‘Perhaps, the young Dragonfly,’ he mused. ‘Optimus doesn’t even remember who she is anymore and I can ensure that she doesn’t utter a word of it to him as well. Plus I can keep an optic on her that way.’

Dragonfly entered Optimus’ office later that week at Alpha Trion’s request for an office assistant. She had received stern warnings that under no condition was she to talk about her previous relationship with Optimus.

“Hello Optimus,” Dragonfly said, approaching his desk. She glanced quickly at his face, then immediately at the desk. It reminded her too much of her old friend, who was now lost to her, unable to remember her or them.

“Hello, Dragonfly,” Optimus said looking up from the data pad he had been reading.

Dragonfly’s spark leapt for a klik, ‘Does he remember me?’ she asked herself, daring to hope. “Hi,” she smiled timidly.

“Are you the helper Alpha Trion got?” Optimus asked, looking and blinking at the femme.

“Yes, sir. Name’s Dragonfly, sir,” she replied to him, her hopes dashed as quickly as they had risen.

“Ah that is good, You don’t have to say sir all the time,” Optimus said. “Welcome, Dragonfly.” He held out a hand for a shake

 _::Don’t you remember me at all, Orion?::_ she said over their partial, but deteriorating bond, not expecting a reply. She accepted his hand, a little reluctantly.

Optimus shook the hand with a smile and let her hand go.

“Dragonfly, I have some data pads for you to deliver to some mechs in the city,” Optimus told her, sifting through the stacks of data pads. He handed them over to her without looking at her. “Most of them go to Prowl. There’s one in there for Trion, and another to the Council office.” Optimus glanced at her quickly to see that she understood his orders.

“Yes, sir,” Dragonfly replied, taking the stack of data pads from him. Her spark pounded hard in her chamber, as she felt his hands brush against hers. She stared down hard at the stack of pads.

“I’ll go deliver them right away, sir,” Dragonfly said quietly, continuing to avoid looking at Optimus.

“Dragonfly, why do you not look at me when I am talking to you?” Optimus asked.

Dragonfly vented an unsteady sigh as she turned her helm to look at Optimus, “I’m sorry, sir.”

“What is bothering you?” he asked.

“You... remind me of someone that I was in love with,” Dragonfly said quietly, “But it seems that he no longer exists.”

“You mean this mech is now offline?” Optimus inquired, frowning.

“It’s difficult to explain, sir,” Dragonfly replied.

“Well then explain it to me, please,” Optimus told her looking at her. Part of him felt sorry to see her so sad looking.

“I can’t. I’m sorry,” Dragonfly looked away from Optimus, “I’m not allowed.”

“What happened to this mech that you loved, Dragonfly,” Optimus said standing up from his chair and walking around his desk. He did not like that something was being kept from him.

Elita walked into the office at this point. She stood behind Optimus’ desk, the sun shining and illuminating her frame from behind. She had listened to the last part of the conversation, hands placed on her hips and glaring at Dragonfly. She pointed with one hand at her smaller office off to the side, behind another door, indicating to Dragonfly to meet her there.

Dragonfly glanced at Elita, frowning as she understood the gesture and expressions. “Pardon me, sir,” she said and walked over to Elita’s office.

Optimus blinked watching her and turned. “Hello Elita,” he said then avoided looking at Elita as he went back to his chair.

Dragonfly went into Elita’s office first, as indicated by the taller femme.

“What exactly do you think you're doing, Dragonfly?” Elita spat angrily, rounding on the smaller femme as soon as the doors closed behind her.

“Nothing. I wasn’t going to tell him anything,” Dragonfly said quietly, looking past Elita and out the window.

“I've seen you look at him when you think no one else is looking, Dragonfly,” Elita said angrily, “Do you think you’re going to take him from me?”

“No, of course not,” Dragonfly said, ‘You and Trion have already done that to me,’ she added to herself.

“There will be consequences to you and your pathetic family if you should tell him anything,” Elita said.

“What consequences?” Optimus asked frowning, walking into Elita’s office as he had been listening at the door. He glared now at Elita.

Dragonfly looked at Elita, her expression telling the taller femme to go ahead and explain this one to Optimus.

Elita sighed and turned to Optimus, “I had to make some decisions on your behalf while you were offline in your last upgrade surgery, Optimus. Things that a certain nosy office assistant shouldn’t have been snooping into in the first place.”

“Like what, Elita?” Optimus said. “You should have told me after I came back online. And now I would like to know.”

“Some of your memory banks got corrupted. We were fortunate that it was limited to your early life,” Elita said, air huffing through her vents. Dragonfly frowned, knowing that Elita wasn’t giving him the full truth.

Optimus frowned. “I see. Now don’t you have some meeting in the city to go to Elita?” he asked looking at her, thinking.

“Yes and I was just gathering the data pads I needed, before heading there,” Elita said as she grabbed a data pad off the top of her desk. “Now if everyone will get out of my office, so I can lock up, I’ll be going.” She stared at both Dragonfly and Optimus.

Optimus vented and went back into his office. “There are still those data pads you need to deliver Dragonfly,” Optimus said. “And I just thought of one more that needs to be delivered.” Dragonfly followed Optimus to his office, listening to him talk.

As her office emptied out, Elita left her office, locking it behind her and left the tower to head to another part of the city for her meeting.

“What do you know of my early life, Dragonfly?” Optimus asked as he heard Elita locking her door.

“Almost everything, sir,” Dragonfly said, quietly looking down at the floor.

Optimus looked at her, this femme who seemed to know all the memories he had forgotten. “Look at me please and tell me,” he said. “I will admit now that I try to think about it, I remember little.”

Dragonfly dropped to her knees, sitting on her heels, “I am not allowed.”

Optimus growled. “Why not? And by whom?” he demanded.

Dragonfly shrank back a bit further, hearing Optimus growl. She shuttered her optics, shaking a little bit from hearing this from her friend. Finally she reopened her optics, “Alpha Trion; he forbade it,” Dragonfly said quietly, her gaze fixed on Optimus’ pede.

“And I am Optimus Prime,” he said. “I make the rules here not him. I order you to tell me about my early life.”

‘You are Optimus Prime to them,’ she thought, ‘But to me and to your creators, you are Orion Pax. And maybe he’s still somewhere inside there.’ Dragonfly slowly looked up Optimus’ frame, “Are you certain?” she asked quietly, “What I tell you will change everything.”

“I am certain,” Optimus said, thinking. “Something has been bothering me all this time about you, about me.”

Dragonfly adjusted her pose, kneeling just on her knees and reaching up to touch his hand, her spark pounded hard in its chamber just from touching his hand again. “Come. Sit with me then and I will tell you what they do not want you to know.”

Optimus’ spark pounded from the touch of her hand. He sat down next to her. “Tell me what they don’t want me to know.”

“Does your spark beat harder or skip when you touch me?” Dragonfly asked Optimus.

“It pounds,” Optimus said, smiling at her.

Dragonfly looked at Optimus, thinking and gathering her courage. “Forgive me, Optimus,” she said and leaned in kissing the large mech very lightly on his lips. She pulled away quickly, scrambling to her feet ready to leave his office.

Optimus blinked looking at her. “Dragonfly?” he asked as he sorted through the memories. “Don’t go just yet.”

Dragonfly stopped in her tracks, and turned to look back at him. “I... I shouldn’t have done that, sir. Do me a favour and don’t tell Trion about this.” She shuddered, thinking what the elder might do to her creators if he found out.

Optimus looked at Dragonfly, puzzled. “You haven’t told me anything about my past yet, Dragonfly,” he said. “And why should I not tell Alpha about this?”

“You’re supposed to be bonding to Elita,” Dragonfly said simply, looking between the door and her friend, trying to make up her processor if she should just leave now.

Optimus looked at her confused and looked at the door. “Yes I know we are but...” he said. This femme confused him but there was something about her. He smiled thinking about the kiss and got up walking to her. He leaned down and kissed her.

Dragonfly reached out hesitantly to him, one hand on his waist, the other to his faceplates while they kissed.

Optimus broke the kiss looking at her, blinking his optics. “This is so confusing,” he said.

“Do you still want those early memories back?” she asked him, opening her chest plates and pulling a basic interface cable from it.

“Yes, I think,” Optimus said rubbing his face plates with his hands. “It would be nice to put an end to this...confusion.”

Dragonfly held her hand out flat, the end of the interface cable sitting on it. “You’ve maybe flipped through your holocubes that you have around here, yes? Lots of images of us together?” she asked him.

“Yes,” Optimus replied, shaking his helm, his optics closed.

Dragonfly stood there, still offering the interface cable to him, “Orion?” she asked.

Optimus’ optics snapped open looking at her, at first he’s mad that she used his old name but then he thinks how she might know his past. “Yes?” he said.

Dragonfly looked down at the interface cable in her hand. The only other sane option to sharing her memories with him was a spark merge, as it would take too long to tell him everything.

Optimus vented a sigh taking the cable as he opened the port to connect it and receive her memories.

Dragonfly thought about where to start with the memories. She showed him Ratchet and Wheeljack, her adopted creators and then his own carrier bringing a sparkling-version of him over to be watched for the first time. She looked up at his optics to see how he was handling this.

Optimus blinked and smiled at the memory, laughing. Dragonfly showed him the entire memory clip from that, how they played with the soft toys, the cars, shared a bottle of energon, and curled up together for a nap. She then forwarded on throughout the rest of their early life together, all similar memories of them crawling and walking and napping together.

“So the two mechs are your creators?” he asked.

“Yes... well no. I was born in Kaon. A mech assumed to be my sire attacked my carrier. She offlined while carrying me. Ratchet was there and he was the one who took me out of my carrier and then later he and Wheeljack adopted me,” Dragonfly explained.

“I see,” Optimus said. “I am sorry about your carrier, but you obviously got lucky with Ratchet and Wheeljack.”

Dragonfly closed her optics and sent a packet of data through the interface cable, this one containing their school years, right up to the last school dance. She smiled a little as she recalled the memories. She opened her optics, the data packet sent and the smile faded again.

Optimus cringed at the memories of Elita but smiled at the memories of the last dance. “So she has not changed it seems,” he said. “Neither have you, Dragonfly.”

Dragonfly shuttered her optics again, venting quite a bit as she prepared to send him the most recent memories, the ones that hurt so much now. Finally she allowed herself to recall the conversation with Alpha Trion and then her subsequent conversation with Orion and how they chose to bond that night. Then finally she moved to her saying good bye to him as he left to retrieve the Matrix. She sat there unmoving after the data packets had been sent, hands balled into tight fists and crossed over her lap under the connecting cable.

Optimus frowned, looking at Dragonfly. He smiled and leaned down kissing her. ::Thank you, my friend,:: he said. ::For reminding me.:: He disconnected the cable from his port, handing it back to her.

Finally deciding to open her optics, she looked at her friend and found the interface cable in her hand. She put it away and closed up her chest plate. ::Do you remember anything of this for yourself, now?:: she asked him.

::Quite a bit, but some of it is still...blurry,:: Optimus said. ::I am sorry about the way I talked to you the last time.::

Dragonfly broke the kiss, just nuzzling against his helm, “You didn’t remember, my friend, it’s not your fault.”

Optimus wrapped his arms around Dragonfly, thinking of how he was going to have to deal with Alpha Trion and Elita.

Dragonfly started to kiss Optimus face, starting from his chin, working her way along the vents where his mask would retract and up to the base of his audials. ::I’ve missed you so much, my friend. Being so close to you, but you were so far away,:: she said privately as her optic lubricant ran freely down her faceplates and landing on his armor.

::I did think there was something about you,:: Optimus said, brushing her face what he could with his fingers to dry the lubricant. ::And now I know.::

::Do you feel anything for me now, my friend?:: Dragonfly asked him, preparing herself if he said that he loved Elita.

Optimus laughed. ::You have to ask that, Dragonfly?:: he said. ::I love you.:: He took her helm in his hands and leaned down to kiss her properly on the lips.

::Orion Pax, I love you. Never stopped loving you,:: she told him, as she returned the kisses, parting her lipplates before even feeling his glossa.

Optimus slipped his glossa in re-exploring her mouth. He felt his spark pounding in his chest.

Dragonfly allowed her hands to finally explore his new upgraded frame, her fingers feeling out the differences between this and the frame she knew so well.

Optimus felt her hand exploring the upgraded frame, wriggling under her touch.

Dragonfly broke the kiss again, looking up at her friend, “What will you do about Elita? Trion?” she asked him.

“Hmm well I will have to unceremoniously throw Elita out,” Optimus said. “And then I will have to have a serious discussion with Alpha and tell him to stop interfering with us.”

“Please don’t tell Trion about us though, Optimus, about this,” Dragonfly said, fearing what the elder might do or have done to her creators.

Optimus frowned and vented a sigh. “Why do you not want me to tell him about us or this?” he asked her.

“He has been threatening my creators as a way to keep me silent,” she told him.

Optimus frowns rubbing his face with his hands again. “This is no way to run a planet,” he muttered to himself. “Anything else you want to ask of me that I need to think about?”

Dragonfly gently took his hands in hers and kissed first one and then the other.

Optimus smiled looking at her. “So we pretend like we don’t know and love each other?” he asked.

“If you feel it best, my friend,” Dragonfly said, “I have been doing that since your return already.”

Optimus grinned. “We could,” he said. “Then I would have to sneak over to complete our bond and perhaps show you how much I have missed you, my Dragonfly.”

Dragonfly got up on her knees and leaned against Optimus, kissing him. Optimus lay back taking her down with him. A little surprised, Dragonfly had put her hands on his shoulders; she let one hand wander up to his neck, gently fingering the cables and tubing.

Optimus looked up at her smiling as she fingered his neck cables. ::Keep this up, dear friend and we could do what we might have if your sire had not shown up at the dance,:: he said privately.

Dragonfly broke the kiss, grinning down at him, “Then by all means, Orion Pax, take me, claim me, make me yours - if it is your wish.” And with that said, she used one hand to stroke his left audial antenna, while her mouth went and licked the right one.

Optimus squirmed underneath her, his hand reaching down to the transformation seams in her waist, letting his fingers brush the wires and cables there.

::I love you, my dearest friend,:: Dragonfly told Optimus, very gently nibbling on the end of his audial antenna.

::And I love you,:: Optimus said moving his hands down to her hips, his fingers brushing the wires and cables in the transformation seams.

Dragonfly whimpered at the touches and moved back to kissing at his neck, enjoying his touch.

Optimus wrapped his hand and arms around her rolling them onto their sides. His free hand reaching around behind her back brushing her doorwings with his fingers. Taking a cue from him, Dragonfly reached around with her free arm as well, stroking his back. She gazed into his optics, allowing herself to forget about her cares.

::I am very much reminded of that night at the dance, Dragonfly,:: he said privately. ::Here we are so close to each other even if there is no music.:: He leaned over and kissed her, his glossa licking at her lips.

::Do you want music?:: Dragonfly giggled, reminded of that night herself.

::Do you?:: Optimus asked.

::I am fine with your vocalizer as music,:: Dragonfly grinned, rubbing the gap between his pipes and his back.

::As is yours,:: Optimus said. ::Though it might be a good idea just in case.:: And sent a command to the computer in his office/apartment to play one of the songs from the dance.

Dragonfly carefully climbed over Optimus, and laid back down behind him. She put her hands on his back again, now able to use both her hands to massage him.

Optimus frowned. ::What are you doing back there, Dragonfly?:: he asked her.

“Is your back no longer sensitive, my friend?” Dragonfly asked him.

Optimus grinned. “I don’t know you might have to check and see,” he said.

Dragonfly ran her hands from the top of his back to the bottom, making small circles as she moved.

Just knowing it was Dragonfly’s hands on his back made him want to squirm but he held it back, teasing her.

Dragonfly sat up behind him, and leaned down to lick at his side, getting her glossa deep into the transformation seams there, while her hands continued the slow massage around the bottom of his back.

Optimus jerked feeling her glossa in his side and then as her hands got closer to the still sensitive spot.

::Does it feel good?:: Dragonfly asked him, the hands moving lower still on his back.

::Very good,:: Optimus said, starting to feel a little frustrated that he cannot see her.

Dragonfly ran a hand down his leg, her fingers exploring the front of his legs, while the thumb explored the back.

Optimus bit his lip to keep from squirming feeling her hand moving down his leg. Dragonfly noticed his face, “Don’t bite your lip, love,” she told him gently.

::Why not?:: he asked her still biting his lip.

“It’s just me. I won’t judge you and maybe … I want to be the one who makes you come undone,” she told him.

Optimus laughed. “You’re doing pretty good,” he said.

“I can do better,” Dragonfly grinned, as she recalled the time she ran her pede up his leg under the table at the café. She knelt down by his leg and licked at the inside of his leg, then sucked at the cables and wires inside there.

Optimus writhed feeling her glossa and lips on his leg. “Yes, you are doing better,” he said resisting the urge to bite his lip again, afraid he might kick her.

Dragonfly let go of his knee and looked up at him, “Dare I ask if I can look upon the interface equipment of the Prime?” she asked quietly.

Optimus looked at her out of the corner of his optic. “And what do I get out of this?” he asked, grinning.

“Whatever you want, my love. Whenever and however you want it,” Dragonfly responded, a look of admiration on her face.

Optimus blinked. “Really?” he asked as ideas formed in his mind as to what he could do with that.

“Really and truly. I love you and I want to give myself to you,” she said, as she moved to lay on her back, tucking her doorwings into their space on her back. She opened her chest plates a crack, giving him access to her spark. And she opened her own interface panel, where her lubricants were already starting to flow from her valve.

Optimus moved so he was on his hands and knees crawling over her. He leaned down and kissed her then broke the kiss and reached down, circling a finger at the entrance to her valve. Dragonfly squirmed, as she looked at him, smiling.

“How does this feel?” he asked looking at her.

“It feels like my best friend is also becoming my lover,” Dragonfly responded.

“Mmm,” Optimus said. “And is that all?” He said slipping the finger into her valve as he watched her face.

“Ohhh,” Dragonfly moaned at the finger inside of her. “You can use more fingers, my love. I imagine my best friend is inside me, when I have to do self-maintenance,” she vented as her faceplates heated, admitting this to him.

Optimus leaned down and kissed her. ::I was wondering about that,:: he said moving the finger out, he replaced it with two and slid in.

Dragonfly used both her hands to pull his helm close to her, pushing her glossa into his lips. She moaned with her lips pressed to his as she felt him add another finger inside of her.

Optimus smiled into the kiss thrusting the fingers in a little deeper, moving them around her valve.

Dragonfly grinned in the kiss, ::Do you know what would fit in there even better?:: she asked him.

::Yes, I do,:: he said breaking the kiss. He moved his helm down, sliding the fingers out he licked at them. ::You are deliciously sweet.::

Dragonfly wriggled. “Good to hear, but you left me empty. I want you. I need you, Orion Pax,” she begged him.

“Very well, my love,” Optimus said moving himself to slide his spike into her valve.

Dragonfly lifted her hips from the floor, trying to help him into her valve faster. She whimpered a little, as she was getting impatient from needing him inside.

Optimus leaned down kissing her. ::Alright, miss impatient,:: he said and thrust deeper into her, his optics closing at the feeling.

Dragonfly felt her valve working to expand to accommodate the size of his spike. She moaned, first at the slight twinge of pain, then from the pleasure as he triggered the sensor nodes inside of her. ::M-more, my love.::

::Are you sure?:: Optimus asked having felt rather than heard the moan.

::Very,:: she said, as she tried to wiggle to take him deeper.

::Alright,:: He said thrusting deeper into her. ::You feel so good.::

::As... do... you...:: she gasped, ::Better than my processor could draw up how it might feel.::

::Are you alright? I do not want to hurt you, my friend and lover,:: Optimus said.

::Yes, I am alright,:: Dragonfly grinned at her friend. ::Finish what you started.::

::If you say so,:: Optimus said and thrust into her as deep as he could, now nearly lying on her. He smiled into the kiss and looked at her.

Dragonfly felt his spike hit the back of her valve, near the opening to her gestation chamber. ::I think you are as deep as you can get now, my darling,:: she said privately.

::I think so too,:: Optimus said pushing himself up and breaking the kiss.

Dragonfly looked up at him plaintively, wondering why he broke the kiss.

Optimus looked down grinning and pulled out of her valve, watching her.

“Tease!” Dragonfly groaned.

“Well I am new to this for one thing and...” Optimus said leaving it hanging.

“You haven’t … with … her?” Dragonfly asked. “And what?”

Optimus shakes his helm. “No,” he says. “And I want to hear you beg for more.” He grins.

“Orion, I want you inside of me. I want you to fill me,” Dragonfly said, a small smile on her face.

“Very well, my Dragonfly,” Optimus said grinning. He leaned down to kiss her as he thrust his spike back into her valve hard and fast now.

Dragonfly broke the kiss, arching her back and tilting her neck as she moaned. “Yes. More,” she gasped, the sound of her vocalizer almost drowned by her fans.

Optimus smiled. “As you wish,” He said and thrust again, fast and hard.

Dragonfly’s moans grew longer and louder as he thrust inside of her. And her valve was contracting rhythmically and tighter with each thrust inside of her. It was quickly becoming too much for her. Her moans grew quiet as she vented hard wanting to feel his transfluids fill her before she overloaded beneath him.

Soon all the sensations and data from his action overwhelmed him. He released the transfluids and overloaded, falling off to the side somewhat out of her valve.

Dragonfly felt the wave of hot transfluids surge up through her valve. The sensation caused her to moan one more time in ecstasy as her system overloaded, forcing a temporary shut-down and reboot of all systems.

Optimus slowly came back online. He looked over at Dragonfly, smiling. Dragonfly’s systems rebooted and realizing her friend wasn’t atop her anymore, she turned her helm to find him then rolled over to wrap an arm around him in an embrace.

Optimus copying her wrapped an arm around her. “I love you,” he said and kissed her.

::Primus, I love you too, my friend,:: Dragonfly replied privately, returning the kiss.

The door to the office slid open and Alpha Trion and Elita walked in together, talking animatedly. The chatter stopped abruptly as they both caught sight of Dragonfly and Optimus lying on the floor, their arms wrapped around each other, interface panels opened, and the crisp scent of ozone after interfacing in the air.

Alpha Trion thrust his open cube of energon into Elita’s hand and marched over to the small green femme. Dragging her roughly from behind her shoulders, he used two hands and picked up the diminutive femme. He slammed her down on Optimus’ desk, sending data pads skittering everywhere onto the floor. “You!” he growled at the femme, “What was it that I said about consequences if you ever spoke to him? And now you have violated the sanctity of another’s spark bond? When I am through with you...” he growled.

Dragonfly lay pinned to the desk trembling and in pain. Her optics dimmed to a light blue in fear as she looked up at the mech above her, her vocalizer giving out a whimper of the fear inside.

Optimus jumped up. “You will leave Dragonfly alone, Alpha,” he said walking towards them.

“Stay out of this, Optimus,” Alpha Trion warned the young Prime. “This young clerk needs to learn her place here.”

“As much as I respect you, Alpha,” Optimus said. “I am not taking that order from you. I love Dragonfly not that spoiled brat, Elita.” he said looking at the other femme.

“Standing right here!” Elita said, throwing the contents of the energon cube she was holding into Optimus’ face.

Dragonfly whimpered from the desk, ::Orion...:: she said privately to her friend.

“You share the room I go into flux and you do nothing,” Optimus said glaring at her. He turned back to Alpha and Dragonfly. “I said let go of her, Alpha Trion.”

Alpha Trion released his grip on Dragonfly and turned to face Optimus. “I taught you to respect your elders, Optimus. I got you and Megatronus into the Council chamber to speak your piece about the castes. Would you rather Cybertron in the hands of Megatron right now?”

Released, Dragonfly rolled onto her side on the desk and curled up, offlining her optics.

“I have to wonder who is in charge here with you telling me how to do things, who to be with,” Optimus said frowning at the older mech. He went to Dragonfly. ::Are you alright, dear friend?:: he asked her privately. Dragonfly reached out, optics still offline, grabbing Optimus’ hand in her own.

“You can’t expect anyone to take the both of you seriously with her as a consort,” Elita scoffed, “She’s small and weak. Not to mention she was born in Kaon. Her carrier was probably a whore in the streets there before she was taken by the brothers, who themselves cannot find mates. At least I come from a functional family in Iacon. I went to the best private school with tutors, graduating at the top of my class. What does she possibly have that I don’t?”

“You will take that back, Elita,” Optimus said giving his friend’s hand a squeeze. “Apologize to her. She has known me since we were sparklings and is my best friend unlike you, who have been an annoying unwanted pest.”

“For what? Telling the truth, Optimus?” Elita snapped, “And we’re stuck here with a leader who cries in his recharge for his stuffy and his carrier. Cybertron is doomed.”

“I’ll be his stuffy,” Dragonfly managed to say through a somewhat crackling vocalizer. _::Ratchet, carrier,::_ she called out over the parental bond, _::You may want to send security up to Optimus’ quarters. Someone big.::_

Optimus sneered wiping the energon from his face. ::I’m letting go for moment, Dragonfly,:: he said, reassuring her. ::But I will be back.:: He let go of her hand. “Do you see what you have set me up with, Alpha? Is this the bondmate of a Prime or a spoiled brat. He walked towards Elita. “I said apologize for insulting her adopted creators, brat.”

Ironhide sauntered in. “Is there a problem here?” he asked looking around. “Con’s attacking or something?”

“I will not apologize for speaking the truth, Optimus,” Elita said, “And Dragonfly, you’re going to be spending a lot of your nights comforting this large sparkling.”

“Ironhide, escort Elita out,” Optimus said.

“As you say, Prime,” Ironhide said smiling. He didn’t like the femme anyway. He took her by the arm.

Elita shrugged off Ironhide’s hand on her arm, “Ugh, get your hand off me, you brute.”

“I've only done this for the good of Cybertron, Optimus. We need a strong leader, with a strong femme at his side,” Alpha Trion said. “I still believe that you are the leader Cybertron needs.”

“What sort of picture does it give the planet when they see me forced to marry an upper class bitch?” Optimus said.

“Until today, you were happy with Elita,” Trion said.

“Until today, you suppressed his memories,” Dragonfly said, static still pervading her vocalizer, her optics coming back online but dull in color. “And he still came back to his best friend,” she smiled.

Alpha Trion glared at Dragonfly and started to walk towards her again.

“Trion,” Optimus growled a warning, looking at the mech. Ironhide seeing what was going on quickly moved between Trion and Dragonfly.

“I do not think Elita will want to remain bonded to you after this, Optimus,” Alpha Trion said, “It is going to cause quite the controversy once news of this hits the communications grid. And I am not going to bail you out with the Council; you are on your own.”

“Very well. Ironhide show Alpha Trion and Elita out, please,” Optimus said and turned back to his friend. ::Are you alright?:: he asked looking at her, seeing how dim her optics were.

Ironhide escorted Elita and Alpha Trion out of the office, smiling and leaving his friends alone to themselves.


	9. Chapter 9

Dragonfly vented a sigh, and let her helm rest on his desk. ::Slammed me hard on your desk,:: she told him.

Optimus leaned down kissing the top of her helm. ::Well so much for keeping it a secret,:: he said. ::But I am glad it is out.::

::I’m sorry you had to flux without anyone to help you, love,:: Dragonfly said, looking up at her friend.

::It is alright,:: Optimus said. ::Now I have you.::

Dragonfly tried again to contact Ratchet, this time using a private comm, instead of the bond, ::Ratchet?::

::Dragonfly? What’s the matter?:: Ratchet replied, stepping aside from a client in the medical centre to answer the comm.

::Can you come over to Optimus’ office with a medkit?:: Dragonfly asked him.

::What’s happened? Is he alright?:: Ratchet asked.

::Yeah, he’s fine carrier. It’s... uh … for me,:: Dragonfly replied.

Clank! The wrench Ratchet was holding in his hand, dropped to the floor, as he made his way to the exit. ::I’ll be right there. I just need to excuse myself here,:: he said as he found his superior. “My daughter is injured. I need to go see to her.”

“Of course, of course,” the senior on-call physician said, letting Ratchet go past him.

::Optimus, what happened to Dragonfly?:: Ratchet said, as he weaved his way out the side entrance of the medical facility and through the few streets that separated his workplace from the Prime’s office.

::Alpha Trion banged her up against my desk when he found us together,:: Optimus said not sure about mentioning that they had interfaced.

Ratchet winced, ::Well, I’ll be there soon, Optimus. I’m just approaching your office building now.::

Ratchet went in through the main doors of the building that housed Optimus’ office and apartment and called the lift to the ground level. When the lift arrived and Ratchet stepped inside and directed the lift to the thirtieth floor. He tapped his pede on the floor of the lift, as it seemed to take longer than normal to get to the Prime’s office. Finally the doors opened, and Ratchet stepped out and walked the short distance to the office. Frustrated that the doors weren’t opening as he approached them, he rapped on the door loudly.

Optimus sent the command for the office doors to open. Ratchet walked into the office and seeing Dragonfly on the desk, walked over quickly. Ratchet put a hand on Dragonfly’s side, causing her to whimper a little. Ratchet walked around the desk to look at her back. “He did a real number on your back,” he told her.

Optimus quietly watched, concerned for his dear friend.

“You said he found the two of you together,” Ratchet said, looking at Optimus.

“Yes, it seems he had threatened her not to tell me about us, my forgotten past and memories,” Optimus said.

“Yes he has,” Ratchet grumbled. He then looked up at Optimus, “What happened exactly? You make it sound like you have your memories back.”

“I do have my memories back, Ratchet,” Optimus said. “She shared her memories with me and most of them have come back.”

Ratchet carefully banged out some of the dents in Dragonfly’s side. “You need to rest for a day or so my dear while your self repair system does its work,” he said. “You should be fine by then. So let’s go home shall we?”

::Will you come back with us, Orion?:: Dragonfly asked her friend, privately.

::Of course, I will,:: Optimus said. ::I am sure my creators would be happy to see me. And I will visit you tomorrow.::

Dragonfly rolled onto her back again and took her friend’s hand in her own as she looked into his optics.

Optimus squeezed her hand, looking down at her and smiling. ::I am sorry you got hurt, Dragonfly and I love you,:: he told her privately

“I love you too, friend,” Dragonfly said, gently pulling him down for a kiss. Optimus gently returned the kiss. ::Could you help me up, friend?:: she asked him.

Optimus broke the kiss and took her other hand helping her up.

Dragonfly stood up with Optimus’ help and slipped off his desk. She looked down at the floor. With a slight groan, she bent down and starting to pick up the data pads, stacking them neatly in her free arm.

“Don’t worry about them,” Optimus said. “I’ll take care of them when I get back.”

Dragonfly shook her helm a little stubbornly, “Supposed to be my job, friend,” she replied.

“But you are hurt,” Optimus said.

Dragonfly looked up at Optimus, “Tell me that you wouldn’t be doing the same if you were hurt,” she said with a hint of a smile, knowing he could be just as stubborn.

Optimus vented a sigh. “I suppose so,” he said.

Dragonfly handed the data pads she had collected to Optimus. Optimus accepted the padd putting them back on the desk. “Do you need help getting home?” he asked, grinning.

::Could I accept the offer just to be closer to you?:: she answered cheekily.

Optimus laughed. ::Of course,:: he said offering her a hand back up, smiling.

Dragonfly accepted the offer up and hugged herself close to Optimus, wrapping her arms around him.

Ratchet watched the scene, smiling a little bit. ::It’s been pretty hard on her, Orion. She’s been working here for you and you didn’t even recognize her. She would come back home pretty depressed every cycle. It’s good to see her smiling again and that you are back to your old self.::

::I did sort of notice how she acted...strange around me, but I am glad I remember her now,:: Optimus told Ratchet privately. He moved his arms around her and picked her up. “Here we go.”

Dragonfly giggled a little as she found herself being carried, “Have you always been this strong, dear friend?”

“So, Orion, what are you going to do with Elita? Clearly you remember Dragonfly and how you feel about her,” Ratchet said, having already noticing the signs of mixed transfluid and lubricant dried on both of them, but choosing not to mention anything.

“Oh I think she’s been taken care of for now,” Optimus said. “She and Alpha left.”

“Well I know that you and Dragonfly have partially bonded, do you intend to complete that now?” Ratchet asked.

Optimus looked at the mech. “It might be a good idea if you approve of it, Ratchet, Dragonfly?” he said and looked back at her.

“I do approve, unless you forced yourself on my daughter today,” Ratchet said, taking out a wrench from his subspace and tapping the end of it into his open hand.

“I did not force myself on her, Ratchet,” Optimus said shocked that Ratchet would think that. “You can ask her, yourself. And please remember I am holding her in my arms.”

“Carrier!” Dragonfly said, and pushed herself up a little in Optimus’ arms to kiss her friend. ::I love him dearly and anything that we may have done today was consensual,:: she said privately to both Ratchet and Optimus. Optimus returned the kiss.

Ratchet grumbled a little and put the wrench back in his subspace. “Alright you two, let’s get going home. And Orion, let’s see about contacting your creators, and we’ll have everyone over for the evening energon to talk about this cycle’s events.”

Orion vented a sigh, relieved and headed for the lift with Dragonfly. Ratchet followed him, stopping at the door to pre-set the door to lock behind them. Then he followed Optimus and Dragonfly out.

Arriving at the street, Optimus put Dragonfly down on her feet. “So do you want a ride or …?” he asked looking at her.

Dragonfly transformed a little slowly and clumsily to her alt-mode, ::I think I can make it. Just no racing today.::

Ratchet also transformed to his alt-mode and waited for Optimus to do the same so they could take off together. Optimus transformed, joining Ratchet and Dragonfly. The three travelled off together towards home. Once home they all transformed back to their root modes.

“Go see your creators, Orion,” Dragonfly smiled. “You know where I live and what Ratchet said. I should go in and see Jack.”

Optimus nodded his helm leaning over to give her a quick kiss then headed for his creator’s home. ::I will see you later, Dragonfly,:: he said.


	10. Chapter 10

Later that night Optimus and his creators came over. “Hello Ratchet, Wheeljack,” his carrier said.

“It’s good to have you both over,” Wheeljack said, with Ratchet just standing behind his twin.

“It is good to see you two,” she said smiling. “And it is nice to know that Orion remembers his best friend, Dragonfly. He has been different the few times we have seen him lately.” ::And he seems much happier now,:: she added privately.

Ratchet walked into the kitchen and brought out a tray of energon to drink and a variety of snacks that he had made. While Wheeljack invited everyone into the living area to sit down.

Dragonfly grinned at Optimus, wondering if they could manage to sit together tonight. Optimus smiled back at Dragonfly, scanning her to see how she was doing after what had happened earlier that cycle. Dragonfly walked around the two sets of creators to get to Optimus, wrapping her arms around him.

Optimus wrapped his arms carefully around her. ::How are you feeling?:: He asked her privately.

::A bit sore, but it’s good seeing you, even if it’s only been a few hours,:: Dragonfly replied.

::It is good seeing you as well,:: Optimus said.

“We are never going to get you two separated, are we?” Ratchet asked, smiling at the two younglings.

“No you’re not,” Optimus said leaning down to kiss Dragonfly. His sire smiled quietly.

“Just think of him as the son you never had, carrier,” Dragonfly chuckled.

Optimus sat down on one of the couches patting a space next to him, he smiled at Dragonfly. Dragonfly sat down in his lap, crosswise, leaning her helm against his chest.

“How sweet they look together,” Optimus’ carrier said, smiling and then sitting down.

Optimus leaned down and kissed the top of Dragonfly’s head. ::This is nice,:: he said to her privately.

“This probably comes as no surprise to any of you, and even though we’re both of age, we’d like to ask your permission for us to complete our bond,” Dragonfly said, looking at both sets of creators.

Optimus’ creators looked at each other. his sire nodded his helm. “You have our permission,” his carrier said with a smile. ::You have been like a daughter to us, Dragonfly.::

Ratchet and Wheeljack looked at each other, smiling. “Of course you have our permission,” Wheeljack said for both brothers.

::Well that is taken care of,:: Optimus said. ::The question is where? Your room or mine, my love?:: He wasn’t sure about traveling back to his apartment just yet.

::I think both of our creators would understand if we locked ourselves away together in our rooms,:: Dragonfly said, grinning at her friend as she kissed him again.

Optimus returned the kiss. ::Like I said, whose room?:: he said rephrasing the question.

::Mine’s closer,:: Dragonfly said.

::Good point,:: Optimus said, grinning into the kiss.

“Alright you two, if you’re going to keep this up, you might as well take it to your rooms. It’s obvious that we’re not going to keep you apart down here,” Wheeljack said.

“And if you need any energon, we’ll drop it off outside your door,” Optimus’ carrier said.

“Just don’t let yourselves fall into stasis lock from energon or charge depletion,” Ratchet muttered, “I don’t want to come up there and have to get both of you back online.”

“Yes, Ratchet,” Optimus said breaking the kiss. “And thank you carrier. Come on, let’s go.”

Dragonfly tickled Optimus under his chin, ::Carry me upstairs?:: she asked him.

Optimus laughed. ::Alright,:: he said, slipping his arms under her, then he stood up carrying her.

::Do you still remember the way to my room?:: she asked him.

::Of course, I do,:: Optimus said moving up the stairs and down the hall to her room.

“Okay, put me down and then lie down on the berth,” Dragonfly said to him. Optimus did as he was told, putting her down then lying on the berth.

Dragonfly looked at her friend lying there on the berth. She ran her hand over his shoulder and down his side. Her other hand starting at his ankle and working upwards.

Optimus watched her, smiling. “I forget is this part of how we bond?”

“Yes, it is,” Dragonfly answered, still admiring him. “Unless you have better ideas.”

“No, not really,” Optimus said then reached up and pulled her down to him and kissed her.

Dragonfly enjoyed the kiss for a few kliks, then broke it and stood up straight, looking down at him. “Can we bond with the Matrix inside of you? Can it even be removed?” she asked him.

“It can be removed,” Optimus said looking up at her smiling. “Or we can bond with it. Which do you want?”

Dragonfly shuffled on her pedes, wanting to ask something, but not sure how or if she should.

“Dragonfly, what is it?” Optimus asked looking at her worried.

“Can I ask you anything?” she asked him, nervously.

“Of course,” he said pushing himself up to sitting on her berth.

“Lie down again, please,” Dragonfly said. Optimus lay back down on the berth.

“I... have only one request before we spark merge,” Dragonfly said, looking down at him.

“And what is that?” Optimus asked looking back up at her.

“A taste of you...” she said, resting a hand on his interface panel.

“Alright,” Optimus said wondering if he could control himself and not have to interface with her before they complete their bond.

“Please open,” she asked him, fingering the seams of his interface panel.

Optimus grinned opening his interface panel, watching her. Dragonfly looked down at him and kissed the inside of his upper leg, lifting her helm again to watch him.

Optimus squirmed. Dragonfly bent her helm once more, licking at his valve to stimulate his lubricants. She moaned with her lipplates pressed to his entrance.

Optimus gasped feeling her glossa there, squirming as his valve leaked out lubricant. Dragonfly licked up all of the lubricant that leaked from his valve. Dragonfly gasped and rubbed her fingers across her faceplates, then licked them getting all of his lubricants. She then climbed in the berth atop Optimus, “Thank you,” she said, grinning down at him.

Dragonfly atop him now, he closed the interface panel venting a sigh. “You’re welcome,” he said and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him.

Dragonfly pushed herself up with her arms to open her chestplates and show him her spark. “I’m not sure how strong it is right now, but there should be some residual traces of our first spark merge. And as for yourself, I leave it your choice if you take out the Matrix or leave it in.”

Optimus looked at her, lost in thought. Did he dare take it out and possibly forget things all over again or leave it in and what would happen? “I think I will leave it in,” he said. “I do not want to hurt you by forgetting you all over again. You’re too wonderful to forget.”

“All right, my love,” Dragonfly said, resting on him again.

“Very well then,” Optimus said. “Lie on your side.” He moved over so she would have room on the berth.

Dragonfly rolled off of Optimus and laid down her side, back against the wall. Optimus rolled onto his side and opened his chest plates. Reaching carefully, Dragonfly touched the sacred relic in her friend’s chest, tracing its outline. “So this is it...” she said quietly and thoughtfully. “You have caused us so much trouble, for such a relatively small trinket.”

“Yes, that is it,” Optimus said leaning over to kiss her. ::Is your spark jumping, pounding to be free my love?::

::A little bit, dear friend, but I also get to explore too,:: Dragonfly replied, pushing her glossa into his mouth.

::Ah this process of bonding is so long,:: Optimus said.

::Only because we keep getting distracted by our physical love,:: Dragonfly smirked while kissing him.

::Well maybe, perhaps,:: Optimus said breaking the kiss and looked at her from the side of the berth where he lay.

Dragonfly suddenly cuddled up close to Optimus’ chest, feeling her spark calling to his. She extended her spark from its chamber as tendrils reached to the Matrix, seeking his life energy behind it.

Optimus reached out with his spark to meet hers.

Dragonfly gasped, feeling the sudden electrical surge as their sparks joined. Then the familiar yet dizzying sensation of memories spinning around her. She tried to control and slow the memories and find her friend.

Optimus waded through the current of memories, turning as he heard his name called once or twice. “Dragonfly?” He finally called looking for her.

Dragonfly turned at the sound of her name. Seeing her friend there, she ran into his arms hugging him tightly. “My sweet Orion.”

“My Dragonfly,” Optimus said leaning down putting his helm on top of hers.

“Can you show me your mission to retrieve the Matrix?” Dragonfly asked him.

Optimus nodded his helm. “Yes,” he said. He thought about the mission to find the Matrix of Leadership. He thought about the well of AllSparks and the long spiral staircase.

Dragonfly stayed close beside him as she watched the memory-versions of Bumblebee and Jetfire descending.

Optimus followed Bumblebee and Jetfire and turned back offering his hand to her. “I’m glad you’re here with me this time,” he said.

“It is both beautiful and frightening at the same time,” Dragonfly said looking about.

“It is,” Optimus said, smiling as he watched her.

Dragonfly hopped ahead of Orion, descending the last of the stairs. There she saw Optimus, the one receiving the Matrix at the time. She walked closer.

Optimus caught up to her. “Getting ahead of me are you?” he asked, with a smile.

“No, you were getting behind,” Dragonfly replied, grinning.

“Fine if that’s what you think,” Optimus said, wrapping an arm around her protectively.

“So, what’s actually happening here?” Dragonfly asked him.

“I’m receiving the Matrix,” Optimus whispered into her audio, leaning down. “And Primus is talking to me, accepting me as the new Prime.”

“My Orion Pax as the chosen one,” she smiled and put her hand on his chest.

“I did not ask to be the chosen one,” Optimus said. “Just like I didn’t ask to become a Prime but if it helps with the mess we call a caste system.”

“I know you didn’t seek the Matrix for yourself and it's probably better that you didn't. Look what happened to Megatron, when he sought it for himself,” Dragonfly said.

“Power can be corrupting,” Optimus said.

“I’ll do my best to keep you in line,” Dragonfly said with a grin and holding up a fist to him in a joking manner.

Optimus took the fist in his hands and kissed it. ::Good, I’m glad I have you around to do that,:: he said.

Dragonfly laughed, “You’re supposed to be afraid when I hold a fist up to you,” she said. Then she put a hand under his chin, lifting his helm a bit to kiss him.

Optimus returned the kiss. ::I’ll keep that in mind next time you do it then,:: he said.

Dragonfly showed him what happened from her point of view when he returned home. How she had joined the throngs on the street and when he didn't see her, she went down the back streets to his apartment.

Lastly, Dragonfly allowed Orion to see how she had been spending the last while with Elita gloating about being bonded to him and how difficult it had been with him not remembering

Optimus frowned. “I am so sorry, Dragonfly,” he said. “I know part of me missed you, my friend. And now I am so glad to have you back.”

“We’re together again, my friend, and that is what matters,” Dragonfly smiled. “Should we end this spark merge for now? Or is there something more that you want to show me?”

Optimus thought about it and shook his helm. “Nothing more,” he said. With that Dragonfly allowed her spark to retract back into its chamber, breaking the merge. Her optics flickered online again and she was face-to-face with her friend. She pressed her face up to his and kissed him again, watching his face to see him come back online.

Optimus opened his optics, returning the kiss. ::Hello,:: he said.

::Stay with me tonight?:: Dragonfly asked him.

::I was hoping you would ask,:: Optimus replied.

Dragonfly broke the kiss and grinned at him, “I’ll be your stuffy tonight.”

“Thank you,” Optimus said looking at her.

“And should you flux, tonight or in the future, I will take care of you,” Dragonfly said, and kissed his cheek.

“That is so very good to know,” he said turning his helm to look at her and kiss her.

Dragonfly broke the kiss and poked the tip of her glossa out of her mouth as she explored the bond. With the second spark merge, it was forming and growing stronger and she could read some of his system messages. She played around in his systems and found the controls that activated his mask, surprising herself as it snapped into place.

::Dragonfly,:: Optimus said privately. ::Why did you do that?::

 

“I, uh, was exploring the bond,” she said a little scared that he was mad at her. “Never actually seen you with it on.”

Optimus lowered the mask. “Well now you have,” he said smiling at her. He leaned over and kissed her. ::So what do you think?::

::It makes you look so different, but I think I prefer it down so we can kiss,:: Dragonfly answered him.

::Me too,:: Optimus said. ::Hmm now what to do with you?:: He checked her systems, turning off her optics. “Do you trust me?” he asked.

“Absolutely, my love,” Dragonfly said, resisting the natural instinct to bring her optics back online.

Optimus touched her face with his fingers, brushing her lips softly. Dragonfly opened her lips to his touch, gasping a little at the softness.

He moved on down to her neck fingering the cables and wires, while kissing her cheeks.

::Are you trying to see if we can interface twice in a cycle, love?:: Dragonfly asked with a smile.

::Perhaps,:: Optimus said. ::Well, yes but if you’re not feeling like it. I will stop.::

::No, let’s continue,:: she grinned.

Optimus moved his hand down to her pedes giving the command to close her chestplates and then trailing kisses down them.

Dragonfly shivered happily from the touch of him, clenching and unclenching her hands as she tried to avoid touching him back right now wanting to just enjoy this.

::Is there a problem?:: Optimus asked as he noticed her hands clenching and unclenching.

::Trying to enjoy you touching me, but also tempted to reach out for you,:: she told him.

Optimus picked up one hand, kissing her palm then putting her fingers in his mouth, one by one and sucking on them. Dragonfly wiggled the fingers as he put them in his mouth, giggling. With her free hand, it found its way slowly up his face and helm.

Optimus turned his helm making to nip at the free hand, putting the other one down. He then reached back down to her legs, moving his hands up the inside of her legs, while he slid his tongue into her transformation seams in her waist. Dragonfly wriggled at the feel of his warm, wet glossa in her waist, ::Can I make one request, my love, albeit rather bold?:: she asked him.

::Of course,:: Optimus responded.

Dragonfly bit down on her glossa, working up the courage to ask him.

“Dragonfly...” Optimus said, watching his beloved friend.

“I would like to try.... your valve...” she said quietly.

Optimus laughed. “I see no reason to say no to you my trusted friend,” he said and turned her optics back on. “It might help to see.”

Dragonfly frowned at him laughing at her. “It took courage to ask you that,” she pouted.

Optimus frowned. “I am sorry,” he said apologetically. He rolled over onto his back, offering himself up to her.

Dragonfly looked down at her friend, “Is it what you want?” she asked him.

“I want you to be happy,” Optimus said. “I love you, Dragonfly.”

“I want us both to be happy and not feel we have to do something for the other,” Dragonfly said as she kissed her way down his abdomen.

“I already have some idea that this will make us both happy, I’m only co operating,” he said.

Dragonfly slipped further down between his legs and started to lick at the seam to his interface panel, then down into his hips.

“Oh, yes,” Optimus said. “I forgot.” He opened his interface panel. ::And we will continue what I was doing at a later time.::

Dragonfly ran her cheek plates along the length of his spike, enjoying the feel of it against her.

Optimus shivered from the feel of her face on his spike. “You are a tease,” he said.

::Am I?:: she asked, taking the tip of his spike into her mouth, and slowly taking the entire length inside.

::Yes, you are, driving me crazy,:: Optimus said. ::Keep it up and I will take what I was doing to its ultimate end.::

::And what did you have in mind, my lover?:: Dragonfly asked him, as she then moved one hand to circle the rim of his valve, not removing her mouth from his spike.

::I was thinking of fragging you again,:: Optimus replied and squirmed. ::You said you wanted to try my valve but you’re also toying with my spike. And continuing to drive me out of my processor.::

::This valve?:: Dragonfly asked, pushing a finger inside it.

Optimus gasped. ::Yes,:: he said.

Dragonfly pulled her finger from his valve, and sat up straight, licking his lubricants off her finger. “Mmmm.”

Optimus watched her looking up at her. She dipped her helm down to lick at his valve, poking her glossa into his entrance now.

Optimus squirmed and moaned at the sensation of her cold glossa in his valve.

Dragonfly sat back up again, but immediately replaced her glossa with one finger into his valve, then adding a second one slowly. She slowly scissored her fingers inside of him, feeling every sensor node and grinning as she watched his faceplates.

Optimus gasped again and again. “Dragon...fly,” Optimus said.

“Yes, my dear Orion,” Dragonfly smiled, removing her fingers from him and licking them clean, moaning at the taste of him.

“Want you inside me,” he said and whimpered feeling empty, needing more.

Dragonfly opened her own interface panel and leaned down over him, brushing the tip of her own spike across his entrance without going inside.


End file.
